OT (sort of) My new (to me) toy

I don't mean to take up server space on the N board, but I just read Zane's dilemma regarding the Yamaha Motorcycles. I'm sure he can fix anything and it made me think about my new toy.

Anyway, I just acquired a gift (from my Dear 75 year old Mom) of a 1962 model Conover/Cable console piano. It is in pretty good shape but was way out of tune.

I was shocked when I found out how much it cost to have a piano professionally tuned ($100 minimum for one tuning; $180 if it is out of tune badly and needs two tunings to get up to par).

I have tuned string instruments (guitars, banjos and fiddles) most all of my life so I figure I can tune a piano.

I started reading all I could about tuning pianos. I got up the nerve to try and tune it and actually got it tuned pretty good and am thinking about going into the piano tuning business:-) (There is a 2 to 4 week waiting list for all the tuners in my area).

I told ya'll it was OT:-).

Rick

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Second, this same person is sour on out-of-tune pianos because of one her family had for years. A professional piano person told them it could not be saved, period, for any money. So she dismantled it to use the wood for a desk. In the process, she discovered that the sound board not only looks cool, but that it makes a sort of zephyry noise when you walk past it. So she hauled it out here to Nebraska and plans to stand that thing upright as a room divider between dining room and front room in the house she built.

Here's where the asking advice part comes in: The house is on the top of a hill without a driveway. She's figuring *I* will find a way to get this enormously heavy sound board-half-a-piano up there!! I have a come-along, but no idea where I could attach it inside her house to get the darned thing up the hill and inside. The thing is a monster and is on TWO wheels -- kind of an out-
of-control piano wreck waiting to happen. Anybody have any ideas? I sure could use 'em!!! -- Soon-to-be-Piano-Squished Dawn

But I do not think I can ever possibly regret that loader! LOL even more!

Dawn

I rebuilt an old upright piano in 1979. A big job and one I'm not anxious to tackle again. The most common expensive problems found on old pianos is either a cracked soundboard, which makes them not worth repairing usually, or a cracked bridge which is repairable but a big job. Have fun with it. I've always admired the way pianos are put together.

• Piano repair

Yep, true story. I'm the guy that benefitted from the leftover wire. After some trial and error I was able to make several headlight retaining clips out of the wire. Here's a pic of some of them. The upper left one is an original. The others are my crude copies, but they work!

Piano Showcase

Steve's Piano Service

Basics of Musical Pitch (Keyboard)

Piano Parts Catalogue

Actually, Tim, I have already discovered two of the web sites you mentioned (ordered an apprentice tuning kit from Piano Showcase). The other two sites are great. Thanks a lot. Now, if I can learn to play it.

I've enjoyed tinkering with the piano. (It’s a lot cleaner than tinkering with the 8N :-).

Rick

Just remember Rick - you can tune a piano, but you can't tuna fish (sorry, I couldn't resist).

Dan