As Mr Saito got stuck in a traffic jam he
was 1 hour late, but soon began to open up the piano. We were all excited to
see how it looked inside.
Piano makers always leave their name somewhere inside the piano. Underneath the wood which supports the keys we found it.
It said Yokohama piano workshop keymakers 1934 18th December. Saito said that the mark of Yokohama means that they use very good materials.
At that time there were 3 piano workshops
in Yokohama : Nishikawa, Shu-piano and Ri-piano. Due to the positioning of the
frame it seems to be made by Nishikawa. It may have been the workshop which
made the primatone piano.
The mechanism and frame is German but the keys are made in Japan. They have been made with great care and attention to detail.
The mechanism and frame is German but the keys are made in Japan. They have been made with great care and attention to detail.
On the action mechanism is the sign of
Louis Renner 1884-1934 50 years, the sign of the Stuttgart maker. The mechanism
has been preserved well in its original state.
The resonance board is also made of a fine material and well crafted. Its out box resembles the style of 1920s Germany.
The resonance board is also made of a fine material and well crafted. Its out box resembles the style of 1920s Germany.
What needs mending:
*sound board – a running crack to be mended
*pin block – appears to have some damage so
nears to be replaced
The pin block is on the other side of the
frame so in order to remove it the whole piano must be taken apart. Currently
Ito Shin (Hamamatsu, Tokyo) is the only
company to make piano strings. Using metal known as Swedish steel they produce
high quality strings. In the past there were no makers for piano parts in Japan
so they had to be imported from Hong Kong, and strung upon the steel frame.