my mouth is still on the floor

[Newton Hunt]

Hi Michelle,

Get a new set of brackets from the supply house and move the rails to it.

To determine the best action spread measure the up and down weight, carefully,
and consistently, then either move the rail or shim a flange then remeasure. 
The setting which provides the greatest difference between up and down weight is
the correct spread.  

This is not rocket science, I know, my brother IS a rocket scientist, but he
can't do pianos so I guess each to their own.

Blink you eyes and get out the screwdriver and the Schaff catalogue.

If the new brackets are exactly the size of the originals then you can send them
back but if they are different then you need to change them out and I think you
will find that the parts fit together rather nicely.

Question???

Do the hammer shanks glue into a socket in the "knuckle"?  And is there a drop
screw in the tongue of the flange?  If the tongue on the flange and the fork on
the shank or the other way around?

This may be a Kronich & Bach type action instead of a Thayer type.  If this is
the case then the approach to this action has to be different.

I think the fact that the notes would not play at all is a clue as to the
severity of the problems you have.  Action bracket growth can cause such an
effect.  As a matter of fact sometimes you cannot get the action out at all
because of the bracket growth, so consider yourself lucky on that count.

Have a look see and get back to us.

(I live in New Jersey and Del in Washington state, so guess who is closer?)

		Newton