Music Trade Review

Issue: 1954 Vol. 113 N. 5

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
PRACTICAL PIANO TUNING
By ALEXANDER HART
Formerly with Steinway & Sons Tuning Department, Instructor in
Piano Tuning, Teachers College, Columbia University, N. Y.
Registered Member of the
National Association of Piano Tuners
Notes of Interest on Tuning
N item of interest and importance
is to he on the alert when it comes
to adjusting dampers. One should he
careful, especially with some piano
A
Double Flonges
Damper Levers with Flange & Spring <
Damper Levers with Metal Plate, Steinway.
No. 1
actions that are distinctly individual. 1
mean by this, and you will observe
on the Diagram No. 1, the damper
lever marked Y is quite different from
the one marked Z. One has a wooden
flange: the other, a metal flange that
slides upward on the flange marked X.
Before we continue with the pro-
cedure of minor adjusting, it would he
well for those not fully acquainted with
damper regulation to avoid the tinker-
No. 2
ing or meddling habit. It's too bad to
mention this fact, but it does frequently
happen, and il is not considered good
i)~aetice. These few words of advice. I
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, MAY, 1954
know, will be taken in good spirit. Now
to get on with our adjusting.
\ o t infrequently, pianos are moved
around, taken apart and get a lot of
jolting. Consequently, the bolts on the
action brackets become loose, and very
probably may cause the dampers not
to seat properly. Tightening the bolts
securely in many instances stops the
continuous sound.
There are many other causes such as
a taut damper rod. or a number of
dampers not seating on the strings.
Many of these adjustments are tricky,
and as suggested should be taken care
of properly.
Let us take as an example the action
with the dampers marked X and Y on
Diagram No. 1.
\v hen the wood is exceedingly dry.
it stands to reason that extraordinary
care should be taken in tightening those
screws on the metal plate, (a) When
doing so. hold the lever steady with the
left hand and turn the screw lightly
with the right hand. Unless you take
these precautions, you are apt to break
the lever at the center, (b) To carry
an extra few flanges is always in order.
\T hen one breaks accidentalIv. throw it
ting between the hamm
jhonks severol notet
s required
No.
3
away: don't try to mend it. (c) Tin-
action bending plier for regulating is
essential, and you will need it. The lop
part of the broken lever wire is bent
to shape and fit the damper head and
felt to the string, id) Take head of the
wire, then bend the new wire in con-
formity with the broken half, and this
operation can be corrected in short
order, more so when you have the bend-
ing plier with a compound leverage. As
to the dampers continually sounding,
this can be adjusted by loosening the
net on a pedal prop that loosens now
and then or vice versa, le) The conical-
pelican trap lever springs have no
props.
Pedal mountings, brackets and vari-
ous other types of pedal mechanism
can be shown clearly by consulting a
piano supply catalog.
Dampers V and W are absolutely
essential regulating tools for success-
fully bending damper wires.
Inserting the tool between the ham-
mer shanks, a slight bend ran make a
quick adjustment.
Let us take another example. Assum-
ing a few dampers are not seating,
i.e.. .-hutting off the prolonged sound.
1. See bolts are tight on brackets.
2. Place tool on sustaining pedal note
if all the dampers" heads are in align-
ment. If not. bend v\ith regulating tool
V forward or back as the case may be.
3. Place action in proper position. If
notes still continue to sound, or damp-
ers do not seal, the trouble may be
with the damper spoon.
The supply catalog will show an
illustration of the upright action. You
will observe the damper spoon if too
far forward will push damper level
away from the string. At the same time.
if spoon does not lift lever at the right
time and too much lost motion lies be-
tween spoon and the cloth, damper
will not come away from the string.
Don't bend spoon until all other
regulatii g points have been checked.
Explanations of Diagrams
Referring again to the diagrams
1, 2, and 3
the damper lever
designated at "Y" is a double
flange that fit§ on the damper lever
"Z." The lever mentioned as "Y"
is standardized and found in the
general run of pianos especially
uprights.
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
Henry B. Hooke, Former Piano
Maker, Dies at Age ol 104
Henry Bayles Hooke. who was at one
time a piano maker and worked on the
first Lizst organ which was made by
Mason & Hamlin in Boston, and also
worked for Hughes & Sons in Foxcroft,
Me., years ago. passed away at his
home in Leonia. N. J., on May 4th at
the age of 104 years. He would have,
been J05 year< old on July 15th.
Mr. Hooke was born in London but
went to Canada at an early age after a
physician had warned him that he had
a weak lung and might not live long
in English climates. He became a bugler
ALL PIANO SUPPLIES










Fly Brand Tuning Pins
Diamond Brand Music Wire
Punchings
Felt and Cloths
Bridle Straps
Dampp Chasers
Tilting Trucks
Tuners Cases
Regulating Tools
Miscellaneous Springs
YOUR MAIL ORDERS WELCOMED
Send for new catalog MT
AMERICAN PIANO SUPPLY CO.
Division of
JOHN SCHADLER & SONS
889 BROADWAY
New York 11, N. Y.
MENRY WICKHAM.
F*«n4tr
in the Queen's Guard Hegiment and
served during the northwest rebellion
in Canada. It was later that he worked
as a piano maker in Boston and Fox-
croft, Me., and during World War 1
he was an inspector of shrapnel in one
of the plants in the United States which
was making this type of ammunition
for the Canadian government.
On the occasion of his 100th birth-
day, he received a congratulatory cable-
gram from the Queen of England, and
at the time that George V and Queen
Elizabeth were visiting the United
States he received a letter from them
while they were enroute to Canada.
In 1875, he married Miss Isabel Me-
Cullough, daughter of a British Army
officer and it was at that time that they
came to the United States.
In his later years, he had charge of
the maintenance equipment at the Penn-
sylvania Hotel which is now the Statler
in New York City, from which he was
retired in 1939 at the age of 90.
He is survived by his two daughters-
in-law and several grandchildren, and
one great-grandchild.
WENDELL GLOVER
Wendell Glover, East Quogue. L. I..
Registered Member of the New York
Division of NAPT, passed away March
27, 1954. at the age of 62. Born at
Kiverhead, L. I., he followed in the
footsteps of his father, Ellsworth Glov-
er, who had been a tuner and dealer in
\\ esthampton Beach and Riverhead.
L. I., and in Plainfield, N. J. in 1910.
Mr. Glover worked for a time in the
piano and organ department of the
Rudolph Wurlitzer Co. During World
I he served 18 months overseas in the
entertainment section of the 502nd En-
gineers. Though handicapped by a
ESTABLISHED '865
INCORPORATED 1903
stroke three years ago, he kept dogged-
ly at his work ,and would drive ninety
and a hundred miles to attend meetings
of the Brooklyn and New York Divi-
sions to share his views and valuable
ideas with his fellow-members. Sur-
viving him are his wife, Ruth, two
daughters, and a brother in Connecti-
cut. Services were held at the West-
bampton Beach Memorial Chapel. Be-
sides relatives and friends, a large con-
tingent of tuners from the National
Association of Piano Tuners and the
American Society of Piano Technicians
came to pay their last respects. Inter-
ment was in Oakwood Cemetery. East
Quogue. !\. Y.
Morris Curtis Buys the Name
Wessell as Used on Pianos
Morris Curtis of 914 Ninth Ave.,
New York, N. Y. has announced that
he is now the owner of the trade name
'"Wessell", used in association with the
manufacture of pianos.
In making his announcement. Mr.
Curtis said, "I recently purchased the
good-will of said trade name from a
famous piano company. The name of
Wessell has been used in the manufac-
ture of high-grade pianos for over
fifty years. I personally was once em-
ployed by the Wessell Piano Mfg. Co.
over forty years ago. '
MANPOWER
PIANO TRAVELER WANTED
Traveler—Pacific Coast for one of the
largest and best known piano manu-
facturers. To cover California, Oregon.
Washington, Idaho, Nevada and A r i -
zona. Full line of Spinets and Grands
with price and term appeal for dealer.
Write for full details giving personal
information and picture, if available.
Write Box 84, Music Trade Review,
Room 510, 1270 6th Ave., N. Y. 20, N. Y.
GRAND LEGS
always in itock with
top pieces bored for
metal fitting! — all ex-
pertlv sandpapered. AUo
furnished with casters,
ferrule* and plate* on
jrder*.
Kiln-Dried Lumber uied exclusive
ly. Write for details. Be*t price*
and immediate shipment.
Round, Square, Octagon, or i p c
cial designed legs made to order
from your sketch, or simple, for
spinet or upright pianos.
Paragon Woodturning Co., Inc-
431 W. 28th St., N. Y. 1, N- Y
"KEYS THAT SATISFY SINCE 1890"
PIANO KEYS RECOVERED WITH
C E L E B R A T E D WICKHAM P L A T E S .
IVORINE
Regular type
Waterfall type
Plastic Sharps
$ 9.50 set
$13.50 set
$ 4.50 set
IVORINE PIANO KEY CO.
1201 Stirling St. Tel. 1241
26
Coatesville, PA.
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, MAY, I T *

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