Chase Player
By John A. Tuttle
John Poling writes:
> As for my piano, it is a Chase, but I really don't know where I
> would find out when it was made.
Finding the age should be very easy. Typically, the serial number is stamped into the pin block. It is normally located in the open space between the copper wound bass strings and the steel tenor strings in an oblong or rectangular hole about 2" X 3/4". It will undoubtedly be a 5 or 6 digit number (and in this case, probably a 5 digit number). That number will correlate to a manufacturers date in the Pierce Piano Atlas, which most technicians and rebuilders have readily on hand.
Judging from the information in the Atlas, we're talking about an A.B. Chase made in Norwalk, Ohio. However, it appears that the company changed hands a few times after "The Crash of 1929". So, take a look and drop us a line. We'll figure it out.
Also he says:
> He said that it was about "20 cents off" if you know what that
> means.
When the tuner said the piano was 20 cents flat, he should have explained that there are 100 cents between each note on the piano and 1200 cents in an octave. Therefore 20 cents is 1/5th of one half-step, in music terminology. Not too bad for a 60+ year old player piano. The question is, will it hold the tuning? Did he examine the soundboard and bridges for cracks?
Musically, John A. Tuttle
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John A Tuttle "Self-Playing Pianos" E-mail:tuttleja@concentric.net
407 19th Avenue 908-840-8787 (leave message)
Bricktown, NJ 08724 Rolls:1-800-870-8784 (leave order)
"We Keep Your Music Rolling" http://www.concentric.net/~tuttleja/
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