Pianotech

  • 1.  M&H cheek blocks?

    Posted 07-22-2022 22:20
    Worked on very few Mason & Hamlin grands.  This one, a 1927 model (former player) has been beautifully rebuilt about 10 years ago.  Has set in an unoccupied (but climate controlled) home for the past 8 years.  Will probably need to pull the action for some key bushing work next visit, but it appears that the cheek block screws go through the leg assemblies.  Am I correct in assuming that the large screw in the pic is the leg screw and the small one would be for the cheek blocks?  Any other "booby traps" in pulling one of these old M&H actions? 

    Story from back in the '80's:  I was working on an old Steinway? (if my memory serves me-- could be wrong on the brand, but I think it was.), also former player.  Had to remove the action for some reason.  Pulled the fallboard and cheek blocks.  Won't budge!  Unscrewed the lyre.  Won't budge.  Started unscrewing various screws under the piano.  No luck! 
    Finally, as I'm under the piano with a flashlight, trying to discover this piano's "secret", I see some very faint writing in pencil:  "to remove action, remove THIS screw ------->"   There was a date beside it:  January, nineteen twenty something.  (It's been so long, my memory could be fuzzy on the exact dates, but I remember struggling for hours with that piano before discovering those old pencil notes
    M&H LEG
    leg pic2
    ).

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    Timothy Edwards
    Beckley WV
    (740) 517-7636
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  • 2.  RE: M&H cheek blocks?

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 07-22-2022 22:50
    Hard to tell which is which, but try the small one first.

    Wim.

    Sent from my iPhone