M&H screw stringer

[Wimblees]

In the last Journal, Les Conover (RPT from new Mexico), wrote a small article
about the Mason & Hamlin upfight screw-stringer pianos he worked on. At the
end of the article  he asked if M&H made grand srew-stringers. 

It just so happens that I tuned one this past Tuesday. When I saw the piano, I
remembered tuning this piano about 10 years ago. I didn't remember the owner,
mainly because the piano was at a different address when I tuned it the last
time. But when I asked him, he infomred me that this was the instrument I
tuned ten years ago, and that I was the last person to tune it. 

There are a coulple notes where the tabs are broken, and those notes were very
badly out of tune. But other than that, the piano held up very good for ten
years. 

The grand screw-stringer has the nuts very close to the stretcher. But M&H
solved that problem by making the front stretcher removable, so that the tuner
has a clear view of each nut. One of the problem I had tuning this thing was
that the tool designed for this is very light weight, and it has a tendency to
slip out of my hands. (It is the tool that is sold by many supply houses to
turn regulating screws in the grand action).  It also has to be held up,
without supporting the arms or elbows, so by the end of the tuning, my arms
were very tired. 

One other problem I had was that the nuts on some notes were very close
together, and they had burrs on them, so I had trouble getting the tool on the
them. On some, I had to tap the tool with my tuning hammer. Unfortunately, in
the process of doing this, I would disturb the nut next to it, and this would
cause that string to go out. So I had to retune a bunch of the notes. 

All in all, however, it was an interesting experience. 

Anyone else out there tune a M&H grand screw-stringer?.

If Les is not on the list, can someone get word to him that there are M&H
grand screw-stringers. He asked for a picture. If noone lese has one, I might
be able to approach the customer and ask if I can take a couple.

Willem Blees  RPT
St. Louis