Sealed pianos

[Newton Hunt]

>Dear List,
>
>     Am surprised that none of you folks seem to have encountered the
>Wurlitzer model with the 4 long screws running UP from below the keybed,
>locking the music desk & lid down (single piece like the Baldwin Hamilton
>school-model, but no handy-dandy elbow-cracking lid prop). A very secure
>method of preventing 'experiments' in action regulation by the students...but
>mystifying until you find 'em yourself!
>
>     Perhaps the screws have been "accidently" lost over the years...hmmm?
>
>Jeffrey T. Hickey, RPT
>Oregon Coast Piano Services
>TunerJeff @ aol.com
>
>ps- Had occasion to look up the serial number for a "Kincaid" in the Piano
>Atlas last week. Followed the trail through the book from Kincaid to "Grand
>Piano Co.". It's interesting that the company "declined to furnish serial
>numbers", isn't it?? What? They didn't want to admit that they'd built the
>dern things!?
>
>
I have encountered a few of these old Ws.  Took me a long time to find them
long screws the fir time.  Talk about frustration!.

There is a much worse Wurlitzer scenerio.

This model, designed by an archetect I was told, had a wrap around the side
design which required the bottom panel to be removed the sides swung out,
lid lifted and when it was finally open enough to tune there were about 20
screws laid out on the whatever.  To remove the action required the removal
of 42 (Forty Two and no/100) screws!!  That was one piano I hated to tune.
My first employer had a 300 plus stock of rental pianos and the had three of
the damned things.  I kept trying to hide them of the sales people would
always find them, not matter where I hid them.

        Newton
        nhunt@jagat.com