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Category: 1889 McPhail Upright (2017 Semi-Rebuild #13868)
A semi-rebuilding and refinishing of an 1889 A.M. McPhail upright.
Multiple articles as we proceed through the rebuilding and refinishing process.
Refinishing [post #3]
Anyone who was following the posts for this piano’s work will likely have wondered what ever happened to the piano. Well, as is so usual, the closer we get to the end the less time we have to keep a…
Cleaning Up
Pianos tend to collect a good bit of dust, dirt, and everything else. Before many repairs can be made, the piano need to be thoroughly cleaned. First, we try to get everything that will come off with a vacuum. While…
Starting The Action (step 1)
While the cabinet is being cleaned and repaired – the work on that action can begin. Overall, the action parts (i.e. the wood) is in good condition. No signs of brittleness, warpage, etc.. So, to help reduce costs, most of…
Removing The Strings and Pins
As part of any type of rebuilding, the piano will have new strings and tuning pins. To begin the process the old strings and pins must be removed. Before the strings can be safely removed, the high tension must be let…
The Piano
The subject of this semi-rebuilding will be an A.M. McPhail upright, built in 1889 (2 years before the company became a corporation). As can be expected from a 128 year old piano, it is very dirty. Lots,and lots of dust,…
Background Story
A customer approached us about possibly semi-rebuilding an 1880’s A.M. McPhail upright they had found. The instrument was being given away by a local group which did not have any use for the instrument. Though the piano was in very rough shape,…