Bird-Cages/Fogger/Snide remarks

[Farrell]

Hmmm. Interesting. No I have never played one in good condition. It would
love to have the opportunity - it would be real interesting. A gravity
system would always have the potential to be more desirable than the spring
thing. My snide remarks are restricted to the 99% of them that were worn out
50 years ago and are now junk. Perhaps it is like a very old Rolls Royce -
chewed up, rusted out, beat up, and then stirred up - you got junk. My
understanding of most (all???) of the birdcages is that they were rather
lightly built (frame, soundboard, etc. nothing to write home about) and not
very big - both factors making restoration less sensible. Is that true, or
may I be off base with that (I've only seen a half dozen or so of these
rascals).

Terry Farrell

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tony Caught" <caute@optusnet.com.au>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, December 21, 2001 9:23 AM
Subject: Re: Bird-Cages/Fogger/Snide remarks


> No Tom, the damper system was designed as is the grand piano damper
system.
> By dampening above the strike point the partials are cut faster than with
> underdamper pianos. Also note that the touch is more even thanks to there
> being no damper springs to give a false feeling.
>
> Others comment on the Birdcage nasties but look at the cabinet, the skill
of
> the workmanship, hear the potential then tell the owner of the piano how
> lucky they are to have a piano that was built with care (in some cases)
and
> they should restore it to its original condition.
>
> From what I gather, most of you who complain about the birdcages have not
> been around long enough to have heard or felt what a good one feels like
or
> even wants to.
>
> Not wanting to start a war but think about the development of the piano
and
> how it has also gone backward at times. I, and many others would sooner
have
> a good overdamper than a bad underdamper.
>
> Merry Xmas you lot,
>
> Tony Caught
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Tom Driscoll" <tomtuner@mediaone.net>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Friday, December 21, 2001 6:22 AM
> Subject: Re: Bird-Cages/Fogger/Snide remarks
>
>
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Joseph Garrett" AM
> > Subject: Bird-Cages/Fogger/Snide remarks
> >
> >
> >  you
> > > either are too inept to be able to tune one properly OR you are
> busy/lazy
> > > enough, so that you can condem ALL Bird-cage pianos without worrying
> about
> > > lose of revenue or reputation. . My question to all who would
> > > condem is: Do you know the purpose of the design? > Joe Garrett, RPT,
> > (Oregon)
> > >
> >     Joe,
> >     I'm both too lazy and busy . As for the inept issue, I'll reserve
that
> > for others to judge.
> >     Design considerations .
> >    The damper system  clearly was designed as a conspiracy against all
> > American tuners and our rubber mutes .
> >
> >
>
>