J C Fischer - New York

[Alan R. Barnard]

I tune a vintage Fischer. First time, I did a complete regulation and
replaced the little brass plates holding all hammers. The rail was okay, but
the plates were bent, cracked, and some were broken.

You can tell, looking at the interior, that it has a magnificent cabinet.
The owner, in the 60's, ANTIQUED this piano a puky green. I tried to talk
her into refinishing it again ....

I love these big old pianos. Too bad they haven't all received TLC.

Alan Barnard
Salem, MO

----- Original Message -----
From: "Newton Hunt" <nhunt@optonline.net>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, September 13, 2002 8:20 AM
Subject: J C Fischer - New York


> Last night I saw an interesting piano, a 1910 Fischer maybe about 58"
> tall, maybe 5'.
>
> I got a desperate call from this lady who says the previous tuner ruined
> her piano because not the keys rattled and the tone was muffled on some
> notes and it didn't sound that way before.  Since she lives one block
> and one house away I went over to take a look see.
>
> I spent some time talking to her, filing three hammers, adjusting the
> pedals for silence, tweaking this and that.
>
> Some interesting features:
>   Lost motion compensater
>   Bass hammers cut both side, top and bottom
>   Solid metal pedal levers that use adjustable pivot ends
>   28 bass
>   No bass cut off bar
>   Treble bridge hooked back up :(
>   Brass rail for the butt pins :(
>
> What a fabulously fabricated Fischer.  They tried to make a wonderful
> piano and they succeeded marvelously.
>
> Next week I will file the hammers (what's left of them), tighten all the
> screws, and adjust the lost motion and touch up the tuning.
>
> What it really needs:
>   Hammers,
>   Damper felts
>   Regulation
>   Keytops (replace old replacements)
>   New bass strings (with new scale)
>   Maybe new pins (restringing)
>   Refinishing
>
> None of which she can afford.
>
> Sometimes you run across one of those old monsters that are worth
> preserving and delightful to work upon.  Such is the case here.
>
> Have a fantastic weekend everyone!
>
> Newton
>
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