The Melville Clark Restoration Page 1
"Everyone one has an old piano in their basement you can have if you move it."
Piano Home Otto Grau Melville Clark Questions Spare Parts Slide Show
First I removed all the covers, top, top front panel, knee board, name board,
music shelf and fall board.
With a little prying and some elbow grease I got the player action out in one piece.
Me lifting out the action, it will be a lot of work.
Then I removed the Keys, quite a mess under here, hay from the loft and lots of mouse mess. They are the original Ivory most of them are intact, a few have chiped corners, I will probably try to save them I have anothe set of keys with Ivory that I may be able to salvage from.
The bottom is cleaner then the top but it still will all have to come out.
Removed (42) bass strings and labeled also removed tuning pins and
dropped tension on the rest of the strings.

Many of the treble strings are broken, I will have to gauge and document
these before removing them. I am going to relace all strings and tuning pins. I don't see any cracks in the pin block and only 2 small cracks in the sound board.

This pictures shows the pressure bars, the are so rusty you can barly see the screws.
Pressure bar removed, I had a really tough time getting the last couple screws out, I needed to let off more of the string tension. then they came right out. I am thinking about having these nickel plated. and replacing the tuning pins with nickel plated pins.

In this shot most of the bass strings are out there are 42 total.
Also note the serial number. #9266
The remainder of the bass strings and tuning pins removed. this moved along faster after I bought a tuning wrench adjustable wrench was very awkward to use.
Getting more cleaned up as I go now to remove the rest of the strings.
Finally with help from friends I got it on its back first look at the bottom and the pump pedals. These will need to be cleaned up and replated.
Lots of rust down here, Continuing to tear the piano down.
Lots of rust down here, Continuing to tear the piano down.
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Tuesday, November 30, 2010
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