birdcage pitch?

[Willem Blees]

Holly

First, as I'm sure you know already, check to make sure there aren't any visible cracks anywhere, including the plate. I would go from a minor third down to maybe a half step down. If nothing breaks, then make a second pass at 440, but as soon as one string breaks, back off.

The?plastic action piano?was a Linder or Rippon. Welcome to the underworld of pianos. 


Willem (Wim) Blees, RPT
Piano Tuner/Technician
Honolulu, HI
Author of 
The Business of Piano Tuning
available from Potter Press
www.pianotuning.com


-----Original Message-----
From: holly quigley <hollyquigley at gmail.com>
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Sent: Fri, 21 Mar 2008 6:11 am
Subject: birdcage pitch?


I've had the pleasure (har) of dealing with my first birdcage piano. It was, at my first visit, kid you not, a minor third flat. Apparently they bought it from a used piano dealer in Ireland, who said they "refurbished" it (another har). For one thing, the hammers were blocking against the dampers - ? After some inspecting and problem solving, I just shimmed the damper rail to raise the damper line up, and that at least got it playing. The pin block feels viable. The plate sure is weird, and it's straight-strung, not cross-strung. My only real question is what pitch are birdcage pianos usually tuned to? Is A440 safe, or should I keep it lower (although obviously not a friggin minor third lower)?

Unfortunately I can't find the piece of paper I wrote the piano's info on right at the moment. However, if it's indeed Irish, it'll be the second Irish piano I've encountered to much frustration and chagrin. The first one was an almost entirely plastic action. No, seriously. Including the keys, including the capstans, screws, everything. Bizarre. Maybe they should stick to beer over there... 

-Holly Quigley.



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