tuning player pianos

[Larry Fisher]

tuning the new generation players, the ones with the disk drives, or cd
drives, computers and such, don't require anything different than any
standard, non-automatic piano, providing that's all your doing is tuning.

tuning the old pneumatic players from before the 50's, usually doesn't
require anything out of the ordinary except you'll need to be patient and
get used to working in tight quarters with very little light.  I use a
stubby screwdriver to push my felt strip between the strings and the process
of moving my rubber mutes through the treble is a bit more time consuming.
IF you need to do repairs, you will have to remove the player action, and
consutation with the customer about the player's usefulness previous to
doing this is paramount.  If the player didn't work before you got there,
and the customer admits this freely, you have nothing to worry about.
Player action removal methods vary from one to the next.

tuning the players of the "hybrid" type, or the players that have vaccuums
built in, or have electric spool box motors, or are squished inside a
console piano, ....... now we're talking patience.  The spool box is
sometimes so close to the tuning pins that you'll need to prop it away with
a hammer shank dowel or some other item that happens to be the right length
so that you can get your tuning lever in there.  These are a real treat to
work on.  Don't start on me about how to remove this mess to do usually easy
repairs.  

In short, if you after you've looked it over, you don't feel you want to
mess with it, after you've messed with it, you'll really wished you hadn't.
Leave it for someone that has the experience and know how to do the job
right.  If the customer is looking for someone to do the job CHEAP,
.......... you really don't need to fall into that trap either.

Lar

                                    Larry Fisher RPT
   specialist in players, retrofits, and other complicated stuff
      phone 360-256-2999 or email larryf@pacifier.com
         http://www.pacifier.com/~larryf/ (revised 10/96)
           Beau Dahnker pianos work best under water