Pianos...pianos...and more pianos!!!

Dear Piano Friends,
Sorry I've been delayed in updating my blog this past month. I don't need to say I've been busy...but I have. So far my experience here has been nothing short of wonderful. Yes, there have been frustrations with the usual things that are a part of every move, but each day I'm reassured that I made the right decision in coming here. That makes me smile!

So...without any more delay...here are some pictures of the Mason and Hamlin that Jen and I will be rebuilding this year. We are slowly dissecting it...in a couple weeks we will be putting a new Pin Block into it with the help of a special guest that will be coming to visit us.

Description of Pictures...
1. Bass dampers resting on the strings...taken from below in the keybed.

2. Underside of cast iron plate...the round things are the underside of the agraffes. Not exactly the prettiest thing I've ever seen.

3. The top of our piano...looking down at the tuning pins and dampers.

4. A view of the underside of the piano. You should be able to see the rods that add support to the understructure.

5. Close up of the tuning pins.



This is a moth that greeted me one morning last week as I left for school. It was huge. Practically the biggest winged insect I've ever seen before in my brief life. I took a bunch of pictures of it...trying to properly show how spooky it really was...it was a good sport and played along nicely.

This week we were introduced to winding the knot on the end of Harpsichord strings. On this coming Monday we will be replacing some broken strings on the Italian Harpsichord in the Early Music Department. This is a very delicate operation. You either do it right and the string stays after the tension is put on it or it doesn't...and well, you start again. And well...mine look good...but so far I haven't gotten one to work. I'll keep trying...



It was like Christmas in the Piano shop this week because we not only received 4 new Yamaha
U1's for the College of Music but we also got our shipment of new Mapes piano wire. This is a picture of Jen loading up in the mailroom.


We also received our new delignit pin block material for the new pin block in the Mason and Hamlin. Isn't it pretty?!?



Last of all...Anne, Jen and I went to do a Bridge repair on a Baldwin M Grand Piano this morning. It was really a lot of fun. The bridge had separated from the apron...so we reattached it. And did a mighty fine job of it too! (even if I do say so myself)



Untill next time...happy music making!