Baldwin 6000 in jail

[Clyde Hollinger]

Friends:

The first Baldwin 6000 I ever tuned was just last week in a Pennsylvania
federal prison chapel.  Anyone else have "tuning in prison" stories they
would like to tell?

I get in this prison monthly as a volunteer, so it wasn't as unnerving
as the first time I heard those gates clang shut behind me.  But I had
to list every single tool I had with me.  Fortunately, since I knew of
this requirement beforehand, I took only what I felt would be absolutely
necessary.  In spite of the likelihood that something would go wrong and
prevent me from working on the piano, I had no problems to speak of.

According to the Pierce Atlas, this 6000 was made in 1990.  I was
surprised to find an instrument of this quality in a prison, but it had
been sadly neglected -- 60-160 cents flat, all the casters gone and two
broken bass strings (one was missing).  I didn't feel threatened being
there but was glad nevertheless to be constantly under the watchful eye
of a guard (a very nice guy, really) except when I sent him off for a
tool or some glue!

If your life is getting too boring, you might want to try something like
this, or maybe a tuning in a mental hospital (I did that, too, quite a
number of years ago).

Clyde Hollinger

Christopher D. Purdy wrote:
> 
> >Most of the ones I have worked on so far are fairly new Baldwin "Concert
> >Vertical" pianos. They seem to have been designed with the piano tuner in
> >mind - plate is molded nicely for a felt strip mute. Kent, did you have a
> >few words to say in the design of that one?
> 
> wallace,
> 
> welcome back.  the indentation in the plate behind the strings you are
> refering to is called "krefting's valley" after jack krefting who was the
> head of tech service at baldwin back when that piano was designed.  i
> belive the model number is 6000.  i love them.  great bass, nice action...
> pity about the price.  i don't see many of them since my days at baldwin,
> cincinnati, though.  i am trying to talk a local church into buying one
> instead of some cheapo grand.
> 
> chris
> 
> -Christopher D. Purdy R.P.T.