Below are photos of a Melville Clark Upright Player Piano which we restored a number of years ago. This restoration was quite a challenge, since Melville Clark was known to be a “tinkerer and innovator”, so that no two Melville Clark player pianos are quite identical. For this reason, there is very little documentation on how to restore these instruments! Click on the first photo, then use the forward arrow to navigate through all the photos and view the descriptions.
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Click here to see the full story of this unique restoration in pictures.
Foot pedals
The electric motor had been removed from the piano and stored in the basement for years.
The stack - where the pneumatics are supposed to be attached, was in very deteriorated condition.
Pneumatics falling apart
Heat is needed to remove the pneumatics that were still attached
The stack with pneumatics removed
The pneumatics now await recovering
Recovered pneumatics back on the stack
Stack being assembled
Fresh tubing being installed
The Spool box was in especially bad condition
The motor needed to be rebuilt
Gears and other parts had to be polished and corrosion removed
The wind-up mechanism had to be disassembled, cleaned, polished and reassembled
Windup motor after restoration
The piano itself, ready for new pins and strings
Pins and strings installed
Stack re-installed in piano
We turn our attention to the trunk, and other components behind the kickboard
The trunk had to be disassembled and re-covered
View behind kickboard with components restored
The kickboard goes back on
Relay switch mounted
Windup motor is re-installed
Inserting the roll
Placing the tab on the takeup spool hook
Tempo control
On/off switches
Reroll mechanism
Loading it onto the delivery truck
The Melville Clark comes home
Home again, and looking beautiful
A happy reunion with the owners
The Melville Clark restored, playing a tune
