What do I do?

[CJR]

Have an old upright piano that has been in the family for many years. It has not been tuned for at least 25 years let alone played. Would like to get it back into reasonable playing condition.
Piano tuner (Listed under the Assoc. B. P. T.)looked at it today and said with his limited vision it was beyond him to sort.
He described it as a "Straight strung, under damped upright built about 1900 using a spring loop system. The hammers and dampers look (he says) in reasonable condition but at least two of the hammers no longer function - disconnected??. The "plank" although it sounds like metal to me rather than wood has evidence of several minor splits.
Can I fix this piano or get it fixed or is it not worthwhile?
It was made by "Alfred B Choat" of Coldharbour Lane, Camberwell. Markings inside as far as I can see are the number 574 on the plank (I think) down the bottom near the pedals and the number (or year?) 1937 on a piece of 4 x 3 wood which forms part of the frame. Hope some of this makes sense to someone. Help needed please.

[Brian Lawson, RPT]

Hi, the thing is if the tuner put his lever on the pins and they felt too loose to tune then, no he would not be able to tune it. What did he say in this regard? Was he just too busy and on his way to his next appointment? FWIW I pitch raised a piano today which was a minor 3rd flat and will get another tuning next week sometime. Occasionlly it takes a while to get a piano back into shape (so long as its all there in the first place).

Additional: the plank is what the pins go into (wood) the frame (cast iron) is the major structural part of the piano (usually painted gold) that supports the tension.

[CJR]

Thanks for that. He didn't attempt to tune it as without the missing notes it would make little sense. However he did think it would be tuneable although he doubted that he had a key? (tool) small enough for the pins. I was inclined to believe him as he refused to take his fee - a very old fashioned virtue! But I do understand what you are saying, unless the pins can take the strain, even if one builds up to it there is little point in mending/replacing broken parts. Seems like a catch 22 situation. Maybe I need to get him back with a smaller tool to try that out.

[Melodytune]

These pianos generally have little potential. However if the tuning pins are ok and the strings aren't rusty then if its a case of just repairing 2 or 3 hammers it should be possible to fix. It would not be worth spending hundreds to have it repaired as new but it may be ok for someone to learn on.

You may just want to play every note (that works) and if any single note sounds like 2 or 3 notes then this is a sure sign that it has loose pins and won't be worth repairing.

Good luck.

[Barrie Heaton]

Piano tuner (Listed under the Assoc. B. P. T.)looked at it today and said with his limited vision it was beyond him to sort.

More like what Brian said as all member can repair with or with out their eyes open However, quite a few don't simply because they have too much straight
forward work on, more cost effective to go to the next job. Try a PTA member www.pianotuner.org.uk

to add to the above

Last Friday I went to a not very good straight strung piano I spent 2 hours pulling it up a tone and fixing some notes and had to replace a string to boot the piano turned out quite nice However, I visited a client on Monday which was in just as bad but only a semitone down I condemned that piano the
reason; family number 2 could well afford a better piano, I just could not be bothered with that client part attitude on there part. Plus I can afford to turn work away 20 years ago I probable would have done it

Not saying that is the reason why your tuner said no, but I am not the only one who gets ticked off with clients with a shed full of money and the kids have to struggle on junk


Barrie,

[Melodytune]

Yes I had an old spring & loop upright with 8 broken hammers today and I condemmed that because apart from that the woodwork generally was in a shocking state. They live in a large semi and could well do with something better for the little one to practise on.

I don't repair spring & loops myself as they are not usually worth it, but also I feel you need a degree of good vision to actually connect the springs into the loops, in the past when I needed the work I got my Dad to help me repair them.

[CJR]

Thanks Chris and Barrie,
I seem to be getting a feel for the piano and its problems, which I didn't have before. The real reason for getting it up and running, if possible, stems from perceived family pressure. The piano was bought for my Grandmother when she was a young lady and although she has long since departed this world the piano, as I suspect many others have done, has been moved around the family ending up in my care but without too much care being applied. No little ones involved here - nor shed loads of money, more a wish to stay in touch with family history. My mum has just turned 91 and I just have the feeling I wanted to tell her it was playing again. We all, that is her children, learnt to play on it but none of us currently play anymore. I guess if I got it up and running then I would attempt to awaken old skills.
Still enough of my family history and hang-ups. I have, following a protracted series of telephone calls, tracked down a local tuner who also carries out repairs. He knows the details and is booked in for Thursday afternoon. Having picked up on your comments/advice and with his "hands on" inspection should be able to make a judgement as to which way and how far to go. Even if it is down the condemmed route. Even my mum said the other day that not everything lasts forever.
Will let you know which way we are headed.
CJR

[Barrie Heaton]

Thanks Chris and Barrie,
I seem to be getting a feel for the piano and its problems, which I didn't have before. The real reason for getting it up and running,
CJR

I spoke to the tuner who visited you, you have an undamper tied action not your normal spring and loop over damper, he told me he had to get some
string to tie back the bottom sections so he could put the action back as there were quite a few broken (the main reason he gave up on the piano). He also gave you a telephone number of a local technician to contact to have the piano repaired, he believed the piano was worth spending some money on However, he was concerned about the tuning pins being so small size 00 which is very small indeed

Barrie,

[CJR]

Well, that was a suprise when you (Barrie) announce that you had spoken to the tuner who had seen my piano. Suddenly it seems like a very small world.
However, a second, fully sighted tuner/technician/repairer has been to look. He, Mathew from North Ascot, has said it is just not worth pursuing. Saying that it was well below pitch and unlikely to hold it and then of course there were the mechanical problems with the action that would need to be sorted with the most likely outcome that things would become much worse once attempts to repair were started. So, even though he described it as a very attractive case and believed that the piano had been well used that word "condemmed" was heard. He said if I (or the family) wanted to hold onto it as a playing piano then probably the best option was to have a complete piano-works (if that is what you call it) fitted inside the original case. No idea of the cost but he thought there was a Czech company that could supply.
So, pretty radical thinking and I will need to get my head round it and discuss with the remainder of my family. Not the news I wanted to hear but through this forum I could see it coming. If we decide to scrap it is that what one does, just phone the council and have it taken away?
Interested in any thoughts on the "new innards" idea or where pianos go to when they die.
CJR

[Barrie Heaton]

You may get some money from a local pianos dealer for the case parts as good veneer is hard to come by, or at least they will take it for free

I would not fit a new action and keys into a straight strung piano just not cost effective

However, they do make good computer desks, writing desks and cocktail cabinets, the company I use to work for in the 80s did a lot of that we sold them to Harrods for big money - there is a company somewhere in Italy which will do the conversion and place a digital keyboard where the keys go but I don't have the name of the company. Your local cabinet maker !

Or an interesting DIY project


Barrie,