1:
The Piano Components
To
achieve optimum performance from any player piano,
it is vital that the piano components are brought
up to first class condition and regulated correctly.
Furthermore, it is essential to ensure that all
is well in this respect before restoration of the
pneumatic player system is contemplated.
Occasionally,
a piano of mature years may succumb to certain defects
that significantly compromise
tuning stability and/or tonal quality, consequently
rendering it beyond economic
repair. Areas that may contribute to such conditions
are the wrest plank, sound board,
bridges, iron frame and strings, as well as the
overall structure. Major defects within these areas
can be difficult, expensive and sometimes impossible
to rectify. Any proposed expenditure would need
to be considered carefully in terms of the quality
of the piano and its potential retail value if restored.
For peace of mind, professional assistance should
always be sought when selecting an instrument for
purchase, and we are pleased to offer a full appraisal
service as part of our work.
Years
of use typically results in a great deal of wear
within the piano action, necessitating complete
replacement of the various felts, leathers, springs
and bushings, and in many cases the hammers. Catastrophic
faults are thankfully rare within this part of the
instrument, unless serious damage has in some way
been caused, or if previous workmanship is found
to be of poor quality. If the keyboard is in good
overall condition, replacement of the cloth bushings
and key frame felts is usually desirable, followed
by careful cleaning and levelling. Alternatively,
should the original key tops be damaged beyond repair,
recovering is considered to be the best option.
Regulation of the piano action and keyboard is carried
out upon completion of major repairs or refurbishment.
2: The
Pneumatic Player System
We have already established that the player system
is predominantly pneumatic and in fact invariably
functions on suction. Upon operation of the foot
treadles, which are connected to large exhauster
bellows, air is extracted incrementally from within
the system, thus maintaining the required reduced
pressure. On electrically powered instruments, typically
any kind of reproducing piano, an electric motor
is found in place of the foot treadles. The principal
of operation however is otherwise the same.
Deterioration of the player system can manifest
itself in some very noticeable ways, the most
obvious of which is a need for very energetic pedalling.
This is caused by a general lack
of airtightness throughout the system, which is
inevitable due to the inherent nature of the materials
these instruments comprise. The bellows within a
player piano, from the smallest individual note
pneumatics, through to the main exhauster, are all
covered with rubber impregnated cotton cloth. As
the rubber perishes, the cloth not only becomes
porous but also resists movement as a result of
becoming quite rigid. Also prone to deterioration
is the rubber tubing, copious quantities of which
are used to interconnect the various components,
along with different types of leather that are used
within the valve chest and for gaskets.
The restoration process involves replacement of
all time-expired materials and the subsequent regulation
of all valves and governing devices. A correctly
restored pianola should require only the slightest
effort when pedaling, although few people actually
realise this until a refurbished instrument is encountered
for the first time.
3:
The Casework
The
veneer of the cabinet is usually finished
in shellac (French polish) or nitrocellulose lacquer
in the case of some later instruments. If the condition
of the finish is very poor, or the veneer requires
extensive repairs, it is likely that it will need
to be completely removed and re-applied.
General Notes on Restoration