Chickering 1/4 Grand

[Farrell]

Thanks for your two cents Del. Regarding the belly of this piano (and perhaps many/all Quartergrands) a couple things caught my eye. The owner of this piano is an airline (big airplanes) mechanic - so he is mechanically inclined - daaaaa. I always plan an extra hour or so for his appointments because we chat for a while about his piano - quite a pleasant experience.

Anyway, last time we both crawled under his piano and talked about the bellybottom. (I mean like, picture it - isn't this why we are in this profession?) This piano has five ribs - that right, only five ribs, and no, the others have not fallen off! It also has a sawn inner rim. I have read stuff about some pianos lacking stiffness/support of the belly rail in the treble area. The sawn inner rim of this piano has support for the treble area belly rail integral with the inner rim. Following the sawn rim down the straight bass side, it big convex curves (as viewed from the outside of the piano) around the tail, and then straightens out for the short run toward the treble end of the piano. Now here most pianos simply go into the concave treble curve, followed by the convex high treble curve and the short straight run to the high treble end of the belly rail. This piano does that, but the sawn inner rim also continues the first straight run from the treble side of the tail - straight into the belly rail in the treble area. So the sawn rim splits into two directions at the concave curve of the rim. It sure appears to be a massively strong support design.

I have heard so very often from so very many sources that old Chickerings have weak treble areas. Is this just an age thing, or is it a design aspect of the original boards/scales (i.e. were they that way new?) that can be fixed with a new redesigned board, or is it inherent in the framing, etc. Stated another way, what is the deal with weak trebles in Chickerings?

This piano has the most beautiful, gracefully curved plate I have ever seen. With the sleek curves of the plate and the narrowness of the case (cheek blocks less than an inch thick), and the slim outer rim, this piano has a lovely feminine appearance - as opposed to a Mason & Hamlin perhaps.

Terry Farrell

Del wrote:  
    
Terry,
I tend to agree with Robin on these pianos. Yes, they are challenging, but they are usually so loved by their owners it is worth struggling through with them. I've not yet encountered a Quartergrand owner that didn't just love his/her piano!

SNIP