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Greetings,

I'm looking for any comments on the tuning of a Mason Hamlin upright screw stringer. The T-handle is in the piano and according to the last tuners mark it was tuned to A-440. c. 1884. I've never tuned one of these so I was wondering if anybody had any experience and could comment on any particulars of the process, pitfalls and/or positives. Thanks.

The problem you may run into is teeth missing from the comb, which holds the screws perpendicular. There is not much you can do about it, though, without a lot of work.

Thanks BDB, I've heard that there is a lot of string bearing friction near the screw adjusters. Do they tune and set pins like regular tuning procedure or would it be better to tune up to pitch and stop much like tuning a guitar.

Interesting...I'm tuning one of these on Monday, and it will be my first time at it. BDB, have you ever broken a string on one?

A long time ago, I restrung one. I do not remember how much extra lead on the string you need to wind it around the hook, which is the important thing to know if you have to replace a string. A little practice will tell you. The pull on the string is pretty gentle, so they are not likely to break while tuning. There is a note that says that setting the string makes the string go sharp, rather than flat, but again, a little practice will tell you how it reacts.

Great! Thanks for sharing your experiences. I'm seeing one for the first time on Tuesday. I'm keeping plenty of time available just in case I have to experiment with tuning. My client also understands as is prepared to compensate for the extra time and effort. The upright was handed down to his family from a relative and wants to have it back in shape for lessons. I haven't seen it yet so I hope this is something that will yield some good qualities. Anything else you can think of is greatly appreciated.

I haven't tuned any screw stringers, but my father has. I remember him saying you have to tune the string slightly flat of where you want its pitch, then a sharp blow will push it up to pitch.

Oh, and post some photos if you can!

Eric, Yes I plan on taking some photo's! Thanks for the tip for tuning it. I'm spending some extra time on this one and, as it sometimes happens, I'll have it all figured out by the time I'm finished.

It's not often that I see someone that has taken the piano business and keeping it in the family. I wanted to teach my kids so at least they would have a profession that would sustain them until they found their calling. But no, they thought it was boring and hard to do. Congratulations on keeping the family business.

Sorry, Eric...forgot to take pics!

Yes, they do go sharp when you do a test blow. There is a note to tuners on the left side of the piano on the holster of the t-hammer that accompanies the piano.

This being my first tuning of this type of piano, it was time consuming getting used to the very gradual gradations of the screw vs. a tuning pin: inn order to get the string to change pitch, it seems as though it's necessary to turn the screw far more than one would expect.

Tuning while seated isn't all that easy, as the tuning screws are vertically oriented rather than horizontally. My back is still kind of sore from the process. Once a year or less will be fine with me... I can see why the product didn't last, and the design didn't catch on with any other piano makers. But these pianos are apparently quite stable. I'll be curious to see how it holds up.

One complete revolution raises the pitch by less than a half tone, as I recall. One complete revolution of a tuning pin will break the string.

I had three of them in my client list at one point, two uprights and a grand. I liked them. Once you got the hang of easing the string up to pitch, and learned the odd stagger of the screw pattern, they were quick and easy to tune. In my experience they were very stable.

I think they might have been a success if the patent hadn't been so tightly controlled.

Just don't break a string! 'Broke one on the grand. That was a nightmare! It took a long time to figure out that string lead length.

I have my appointment with one tomorrow. The camera is ready and I'll take some shots of all the key points. Thanks for confirming the "sharp test blow" action to set the string. Hopefully that will streamline my time spent on the project. More tomorrow.

As I recall, to replace a string, I made a bend at the end and wrapped the hook around it. I think I cut the string so it was even with the base of the nut, and then the screw would stick through far enough to get the nut on it, at least in the treble. The hooks in the bass were a different size, and the string needed to be cut to a different length.

This was a long time ago, and I have not done another since.

I have posted some Pic’s of the M&H Stringer here http://picasaweb.google.com/chadwick500/2010MHStringer?authkey=Gv1sRgCJGDsvXKkauhrgE

Click open at hit slide show. The piano is pre. 1885 and was about A-425. Last tuned in March 1972. I was surprised at the condition considering it’s age. There were many issues on all components but I decided to bring it up to A-435. It’s an uncanny system which has you abandon the usual way of tuning. The screws are very smooth to turn. Lowering the pitch first and then bringing it up just before a perfect interval or unison with steady test blows is the best method I found thanks to BDB and Dave Stahl’s posts. Once I got into a rhythm I found it remarkably easy to zero in on pitch adjustments. An overall good experience. The rest of the piano is mostly original except for the cork Bridal straps. Too bad the ivories were kind of chopped up on the front cantilever. You can see one or two string repairs where the screw’er is out of line with it’s neighbors. Looks kinda complicated but do-able. Number 88 is missing. No plate bolts except for the lower sides and along the bottom. I moved one end away from the wall to look at the s-board crack and it didn’t feel too over weighted. The owner wants to make repairs and I told him that the original cabinet finish is OK to leave but all tone producing components must be properly restored leaving as many original parts as possible to keep historical integrity. Overall, it’s a well built instrument with a unique tuning system that works just fine. It took a little extra time but I enjoyed the experience.

Does the pressure bar have some type of string guides? It seems that way to me, from the way that the tri-chords "fan" open above the pressure bar, but are perfectly parallel below.

I didn't look too closely at that but it doesn't look like there are grooves or guides and I noticed nothing under the pressure bar or point of termination that was obivous. I could see where strings were replaced the previous technician must of had a problem with the trichord spacing.

Thanks for the pics. Is the action brass or wood flange?

Are there leaf springs on the jacks? If there are, the cork bridle straps may be original.

I started to check out the flanges and, as I recall, they were a wood flange but I'm not sure. The household was hugely disruptive with the Dad hanging over me with a million questions and the two young boys wanting to bang on the keys whenever my back was turned. Very disruptive. I did see one old bridal strap and that was indeed a cork insert. I amazed that it would be an original part. The rest were definitely replacements. I don't recall the spring type. I wish I had more time to document this piece but I wrote my schedule too close for more appointments. I was lucky to get the piano pitched up and tuned with all the commotion in the house. I will be doing more work on this in the near future and I'll document things better.

There is (or was) a M&H screwstringer vertical at the factory in Haverhill, MA
I also remember seeing a large M&H screwstringer grand while visiting the factory in East Rochester in the 1960s.
I'm sure Eric remembers the M&H vertical in the Grange in Monticello, NY