birdcage primer?

[holly quigley]

Hi all -

The other day, while I was tuning in a store, a lovely English woman
approached me and asked for my business card. When I complied, I asked what
kind of piano she had. She informed me that, "Oh, I just moved over here
from England and I'm afraid the piano didn't do too well. It's a very very
old upright, is very out of tune, and has one note that won't stop ringing,
and another that won't play when you hit it hard."

I have this gut-deep fear that if she calls me, I'll discover her piano has
a dreaded birdcage type of action. I've only heard horror stories about what
a pain in the neck these are; not actually worked on one (hey, I'm just a
kid in experience level, compared to some of you). So I thought, hey, worst
case scenario I refer her to someone more experienced, but I'm game for
trying. And what a great question to pose - what, if any, special
tools/lever tips/mutes does one need to tune a birdcage style, and what
other tools, hints, and expectations would you offer for someone going in to
work on one?

Thanks in advance,
Holly Quigley
Assoc. Member
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