M&H Screwstringer

[PNOTNR@aol.com]

After 15 years in this business, I finally ran across (or into) a Mason &
Hamlin Screwstringer.  From what little I've read or heard about them in the
past, they were considered to work well, and I was sort of looking forward to
actually tuning one.

This particular instrument hadn't been tuned in as long as anyone could
remember, and the top two octaves were over 100cents flat relative to the
rest of the instrument, (which was roughly around A-435.)  There was some
rust on these top strings where they wrap around the do-hickey (I have NO
idea what the proper name is for the part that connects the string to the
machine screw) and I suspect a previous tuner chose to leave the top section
flat, rather then risk breaking strings, and having to figure out how to
string this kind of system.

Instructions inside the piano said that pitch should always be approached
from below because this type piano settles sharp.  I realized that the
machine screw, one cannot use any impact motion to help overcome friction.
 That would be achieved by the test blow, but this piano is 100 years old,
and the action wouldn't withstand much in the way of pounding.

ANYWAY, I thought that by having this machine screw setup, I'd notice
infinate control over the string.   But in reality, I felt separated from the
string.  Many screws moved half a turn before I heard any change in pitch,
then all a once the pitch would jump.  This also was far from uniform from
note to note.  After two and 1/2 hours, I called it quits, and came back home
to write this letter.

Is anyone in Pianotechland familiar enough with these critters to offer me
some advice?  Thanks in advance.

Gordon Large
Maine