Hi all !
My lucky star put an early sparkletop in my path recently and I'm preparing its restoration. As Seanfir says, it is very difficult to find resources on these early models, and we agreed to share this post for the community to benefit.
I think my piano came out of the workshop in mid 1966. The speakers are Jensen from Sept. and Dec. 1965 (1 was substituted by an Oxford from March 1969) and the potentiometers are CTS from May 1966.
He's gorgeous for his age! The harp is in very good condition, 100% Raymac tines, original tone bars as well as the pickups (except 3).
You cannot view this attachment.
You cannot view this attachment.
The action is entirely in wood, and is also in pretty good condition... except for the Teardrop hammer heads, which have already been reshaped once or twice and have some significative grooves on the upper 2/3 of the keyboard.
I will replace them in a second time, my priority for the moment is on the action which is very short and stiff, and thus not very pleasant to play.
Like Seanfir's piano, the pedestals AND hammer butts have felt, respectively white and red. The pedestals are fitted with the aluminum bump.
The white felt on the pedestals, looks quite old, the sticker being dry and easily removed with the fingernail.
On the shema 8-2 of the service manual, the bump is presented without felt, the felt being on the hammer butt.
After hours (seriously) of searching on the internet, I did not find any picture of these pedestals without felt like on the service manual, even less picture of the hammer butt... here are the ones on my piano.
You cannot view this attachment.
You cannot view this attachment.
I wonder about this pedestal felt: is it original? What was the real original design?
I read your article Real MC (thanks for sharing the information!) and I see that the felt is on the pedestal, but I understand that the hammers are hybrid cycolac/wood. Is that correct?
I tested by removing this pedestal white felt, and as Seanfir says, it's night and day, much lighter action (almost too much) and dynamic. And this despite a much too important escapement.
By the way, two shims are present under the harp supports, and I think that by removing them, we should be not far from the good escapement without pedestal felt.
So any advice is welcome! Thank you guys!
My lucky star put an early sparkletop in my path recently and I'm preparing its restoration. As Seanfir says, it is very difficult to find resources on these early models, and we agreed to share this post for the community to benefit.
I think my piano came out of the workshop in mid 1966. The speakers are Jensen from Sept. and Dec. 1965 (1 was substituted by an Oxford from March 1969) and the potentiometers are CTS from May 1966.
He's gorgeous for his age! The harp is in very good condition, 100% Raymac tines, original tone bars as well as the pickups (except 3).
You cannot view this attachment.
You cannot view this attachment.
The action is entirely in wood, and is also in pretty good condition... except for the Teardrop hammer heads, which have already been reshaped once or twice and have some significative grooves on the upper 2/3 of the keyboard.
I will replace them in a second time, my priority for the moment is on the action which is very short and stiff, and thus not very pleasant to play.
Like Seanfir's piano, the pedestals AND hammer butts have felt, respectively white and red. The pedestals are fitted with the aluminum bump.
The white felt on the pedestals, looks quite old, the sticker being dry and easily removed with the fingernail.
On the shema 8-2 of the service manual, the bump is presented without felt, the felt being on the hammer butt.
After hours (seriously) of searching on the internet, I did not find any picture of these pedestals without felt like on the service manual, even less picture of the hammer butt... here are the ones on my piano.
You cannot view this attachment.
You cannot view this attachment.
I wonder about this pedestal felt: is it original? What was the real original design?
I read your article Real MC (thanks for sharing the information!) and I see that the felt is on the pedestal, but I understand that the hammers are hybrid cycolac/wood. Is that correct?
I tested by removing this pedestal white felt, and as Seanfir says, it's night and day, much lighter action (almost too much) and dynamic. And this despite a much too important escapement.
By the way, two shims are present under the harp supports, and I think that by removing them, we should be not far from the good escapement without pedestal felt.
So any advice is welcome! Thank you guys!
) . I also sent them the link. 
