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MMD > Archives > January 1998 > 1998.01.28 > 01Prev  Next


Verbena-Reig Toy Barrel Piano
By Mike Knudsen

I also have one of those smaller barrel "toy" pianos, meaning one using
chime rods instead of strings.  At least these play in tune and have a
pleasant tone, which is more than can be said for many of the larger
Barcelona (technically part of Spain) pianos with strings. :-)  I have
one of these also, which is desperately awaiting tuning-pin work!  No
need to deliberately tune for celeste effect.  :-)

My "toy" piano looks just like the one described, but I believe I
counted 20 notes, plus a castanet block and maybe a bell (been a while
since I've looked inside).  I think the barrel is plastic but with real
steel pins in it.

One of my chime rods is broken off.  I bought a nice Jaymar grand toy
piano at a garage sale to steal a replacement, but I suspect that
removing a rod and somehow fitting it into the Spanish piano's casting
will be a problem.  Besides, the Jaymar is a really nice instrument --
the compass lets me play "Les Barricades Mysterieuses" in the original
key!

Yes, mine also uses a pot metal snail cam, and it's shot!  I think
it's stuck on "Flying Trapeze".  I also have "Celito Lindo" (just one
section I think) and "Casey", so our instruments are very similar
indeed!

If anyone has the notion to make up a batch of those snail cams for
sale, I'll be glad to ante up.

By the way, all sizes of these pianos have neat schemes for easily
removing the upper front panels and the lid, just like a big ol'
upright.  Makes them fun to watch.

Reminds me -- another collector echoed my sentiment that cylinder music
boxes are more fun than disk machines, since the disk hides all the
mechanism and the combs during play, but a cylinder lets you watch
those rippling arpeggios and mandolin repetitions!

Mike Knudsen


(Message sent Wed 28 Jan 1998, 17:30:57 GMT, from time zone GMT-0600.)

Key Words in Subject:  Barrel, Piano, Toy, Verbena-Reig

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