An old piano???

ticktock19852004 · Post by **ticktock19852004** » 29 Aug 2005, 10:51

Hello! I was wondering, could you post a picture of the piano somewhere? Especially pictures of the tunning arrangement. I know of a very unique and rare tunning arrangement that might baffle someone that has never encountered it before.

Thanks!
ticktock19852004@yahoo.com

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 29 Aug 2005, 10:57

Gene Nimtz wrote: I had a supposedly knowledgeable piano tuner come to the house to tune it. He opened it up, scratched his head and said he had never seen anything like it and wouldn't even begin to know how to tune it).

Does it have the name "John Brinsmead" anywhere on it perchance?

PG

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 29 Aug 2005, 11:19

...or 'Eavestaff?!

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 29 Aug 2005, 12:09

Another one for the unleaded!

Geminoz · Post by **Geminoz** » 29 Aug 2005, 13:17

PG..are you going to vent your spleen on John Brinsmead now???..

I do hope not.....mine is very close to my heart

and my tuner had no problems with it

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 29 Aug 2005, 16:11

Geminoz wrote:PG..are you going to vent your spleen on John Brinsmead now???.. I do hope not.....mine is very close to my heart and my tuner had no problems with it

Oooh!!

Touchy!!

No, not Brinsmead per se, but the machine head tuning system he introduced on some pianos was utter crap, and obviously the product of a mind addled by too much of the poppy-sniffing popular at the time.

Our very own site has a description:
http://www.uk-piano.org/history/brinsme ... tuner.html

A brave attempt which created more problems than the one that the system was trying to fix...... If your piano is equipped thus, remind me to buy your brave tuner a beer for his efforts.

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 29 Aug 2005, 19:18

What happened was the tuning pin required a special crank because it passed through the edge of the frame. The crank got lost in no time at all, and since then proud new owners of a very cheap good-quality piano have had to be gently told that their new pride and joy is untuneable without said bit of kit.
For a picture of this phenomenonononon, go to Ebay and look at item 7344400914 - it shows the grand version with the pins pointing directly at the poor ole tuner instead of up in the air like a normal grand.
So don't get upset, Gem; we ain't picking on ALL Brinsmeads!

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 29 Aug 2005, 19:21

...but don't get all excited and go rushing off to eBay in glee; I'm afraid it's NOT one of Raymanboy's delightful flights of fancy.

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 29 Aug 2005, 19:52

Gill Green wrote:...but don't get all excited and go rushing off to eBay in glee; I'm afraid it's NOT one of Raymanboy's delightful flights of fancy.

That particular chap is now trying to flog his old Auntie.... See 4570618197

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 29 Aug 2005, 19:55

Gill Green wrote: For a picture of this phenomenonononon, go to Ebay and look at item 7344400914 - it shows the grand version with the pins pointing directly at the poor ole tuner instead of up in the air like a normal grand.

The stuff of Nightmares!

Geminoz · Post by **Geminoz** » 30 Aug 2005, 13:54

oh thank goodness

...I don't think mine has one of those thingymigigs...mine is just old and has had a hard life till I got hold of it and gave it some TLC.
I have to admit the knowledge you people possess is awesome.
My knowledge is limited to knowing a piano has keys, strings, pins and things, hammers and pedals, and is good fun to play.
The only time I have taken the front off was in my younger days, when I discovered it made an awesome honky tonk sound if I did that and it was fun to watch the hammers hit the strings. But I got soundly rapped over the knuckles when I was discovered and was forbidden to do it again.

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 30 Aug 2005, 17:17

For a truly honkytonk sound some dreadful brats put drawing pins in the noses of the hammers...sounds like a hapsichord on acid, and writes the hammers off.
Not advised, though Oasis have made a lot of money from it. But then, they can afford new hammer heads

...

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 30 Aug 2005, 22:44

Gill Green wrote:For a truly honkytonk sound some dreadful brats put drawing pins in the noses of the hammers...sounds like a hapsichord on acid, and writes the hammers off.
Not advised, though Oasis have made a lot of money from it. But then, they can afford new hammer heads ...

So did Winifred Attwell, and she didn't resort to ripping off the Beatles in the process........

Geminoz · Post by **Geminoz** » 31 Aug 2005, 14:16

Oh I loved her....

and she was the reason I took the front off...I was actually attempting to play the Black and White Rag at the ripe old age of 9

without much success I might add.
I had been led astray by a much older cousin (21) and he didn't get rapped over the knuckles for taking the front off his piano.
But then he played it beautifully while my feeble attempts probably accounted for my rapped knuckles.
Didn't know about the drawing pins

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 31 Aug 2005, 18:00

Don't do it, Gem!!!!

Geminoz · Post by **Geminoz** » 01 Sep 2005, 12:54

Oh I won't....'cause it's me who would have to foot the repair bill,

besides don't think my old fingers would manage the Black And White Rag these days

UK Piano Page Piano Forum

An old piano???

Re: An old piano???