Barrel piano

[Richard Moody]

Barrel pianos are a lot of fun.  There are some pitfalls and a real danger
to watch out for.  If it has a coiled spring and that spring jumps out you
will probably need stitches and an eye transplant.  There is USUALLY a
guard on the spring.  
	It has multiple tunes on the barrel, to select these the barrel must be
shifted usually by turning the crank handle backwards. There is another
lever that points to the selections on the side of the case like A, B C or
D.This lever somehow makes sure the barrel gets to the exact right
position. The barrel  must be in the right place before it can be shifted,
otherwise pins  get ripped out. Some have safeguards to prevent this from
happening.  There are antique and modern reproductions, or rather that the
barrel piano has been made for nearly 100 years now. Much depends on the
condition of the barrel, they can get to where they loose too many pins. 
The tuning of them is sometimes weird because they can skip a chromatic
step, and leave out lots in the bass.  The list MMD  (mechanical music
devices) is very good to get specific info.  Who ever wants to join I will
be glad to send subscription info.  There  might (should) be a link to it
from the PTG website.  As in pianos the name is important and anything
that is written inside the instrument.  
If you have ever arranged even one song for you will appreciate the task
of how the barrel is pinned, or repinned. 
The barrel slides out from one end. Sometimes this end has to be knocked
off (from the inside)  other times it turns one way or the other till it
catches or releases. Unless it slides in and out on its own cradle you
should make a stand to hold the barrel. 
	Some have extra instruments in them like triangle, orchestra block or
castanets even?? 
This is one instrument that is beneficial to tune half a step flat.If
there is no diagram or the notes aren't marked, it will take some sluthing
to find out where C is.  Make sure all the clevis (clavis?) pins are
there. Those are the "teeth" that the pins in the barrel hit on to make it
play. If you pull a hammer back and forth you can see these if  the barrel
doesn't turn. Just don't force it in case it is caught on a pin. 
Who knows, after being around one for long enough, one might propose that
"barrel house" comes from the music on barrel pianos.  

Ric <----(his barrel is missing a couple of pins) 
 

 
> A440A@AOL.COM wrote:
> > 
> > Greetings all,
> >     I just saw something I would really like to have.  It is a
crank-operated
> > barrell piano.
> >     The barrell is about four feet long, about 1 foot in diameter. 
They want
> > $1,400 for the whole thing, 
> > Ed Foote