Geoff, Some interesting information is available at: http://overspianos.com.au/frameset.html Also you may contact: Ray Green 7 Kinsel Ave., Kingsgrove 2208, NSW Australia Phone: 02 9554 3795 although I'm not sure if he is still living! Many Beale pianos, with the Beale tuning system which you describe, are still being tuned successfully today in Australia. In the past I spent much time, at my first encounter to tune each Beale piano, backing off the locking screw at the back of the pin field, and re-tightening to "hand-tightness". Since this was not always consistent, and some pins did not release when the screw was loosened, this did not always achieve a successful tuning procedure. Having done this procedure I now spray the front of the pin field with silicon lubricant, which penetrated the length of the pin and makes for a satisfactory tuning. I suspect the obstacle to a standard tuning is a partial "cold weld" of the pin to the frame over time when not tuned regularly. These pianos were evidently touted as not requiring tuning over their lifetime, hence the development of the problem. > I have a (potential) customer who recently acquired a Wegman baby grand > with > what he referred to as requiring an unusual tuning procedure. He was told > that it required both a special tuning hammer and a technician that was > trained for this method. From what I've so far discovered it's using what > is/was referred to as the Beale and Vader Patented Tuning System. I have > not > yet seen this piano. > > > > Google eventually came up with this. Wanna see how it works: > http://www.freepatentsonline.com/5471902.pdf > > > > Question one: Why did this system fail? Too expensive to manufacture or > did > it just not work very well. > > > > Question two: How does one go about tuning one of these things? What is > the > special technique? > > > > Question three: Is this piano unique enough to be of any real value, for > whatever reason? > > > > I found this subject showing up several times in the archives but the > discussions were mostly about other things. > > > > I look forward to everyone's responses. > > > > Thanks - > > > > -- Geoff > > > > > > > . Geoff Sykes, RPT > . 626-799-7545 > . <http://www.ivories52.com> www.ivories52.com > > > > > > > >
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