Schaff Tuning Levers

[Elwood Doss, Jr.]

Yes, the first one I purchased 14 years ago gave me similar problems.  It
was one of their top-of-the-line hardwood handle ones.  It got better--I
kept it and still use it.  I found that I had the problem after I tried to
use a Hale tip on the extension handle.  I had a problem with a nylon
extension lever--the head would not tighten up.  I sent it back, received a
refund, and ordered a hardwood handle one from Pianotek.   I use it here at
work all the time and have been pleased.  I think it was a Watanabe
extension hammer.  Their Watanabe stationary hammers are only around $80.  I
think Schaff and Pianotek prices are comparable on these items.  Hope this
helps.

Joy!
Elwood

Elwood Doss, Jr., RPT
Technical Director/Piano Technician
Department of Music
106 Fine Arts Building
University of Tennessee at Martin
731/587-1152
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeff Tanner" <jtanner@mozart.music.sc.edu>
To: "College Technicians" <caut@ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, November 06, 2003 9:08 AM
Subject: Schaff Tuning Levers


> Hi all,
> I'm wondering if anyone else has ever encountered the problem with
> Schaff Tuning levers that I have.  I recently ordered a #16 nylon
> handle extension lever for my student assistant.  He's buying it for
> his own personal tool, so it ought to be something that will last him a
> while.
>
> The problem I've had is that, besides the sloppy fit of the tip on
> tuning pins I've fussed about before, the threads on the shaft and
> inside the head somehow don't work together they way they should.  When
> you first use it, the head begins working itself loose from the shaft,
> and continues to do so after you continue retightening it.  Soon, the
> threads on the tip of the shaft have become scarred up, and inside the
> head as well.
>
> It is not a cross-threading problem.  It seems to have more to do with
> the tapering of the threads not matching up, so that the tip of the
> shaft tightens down, but the head is not tight.  The threads on the tip
> of the shaft simply grind away into the head.  It gets so bad that you
> can't use it, and it starts happening with the first piano you tune.
>
> This has been a real problem with every Schaff tuning lever I've ever
> used.  I own another Schaff lever (#6) I bought about 10 years ago I've
> never been able to use because of this problem (and the tip problem).
> I complained to them about it then, and they replaced it, but they
> wanted to act like I'd cross threaded the head onto the shaft.  But
> that is not the problem.  We had an apprentice model (#8) at my alma
> mater for the students to use and it did exactly the same thing.
>
> Anybody else seen this? or am I doing something wrong?  It has never
> occurred with the APSCO hammers I bought.  But I can't buy from APSCO
> anymore.  What to do about it?  If I send it back, they'll just replace
> it with another one which will do the same thing.  I went down that
> road with my Schaff lever 10 years ago.  And there's no other domestic
> tuning hammer manufacturer that an apprentice can afford to buy from,
> and the imports cost twice as much.
>
> Oh, this doesn't include the fact that they increased the price of this
> hammer by more than 25% last month (a week before I ordered this one).
>
> But I mainly wanted to find out if I'm the only one having this problem
> before I contact Schaff about it.
>
> Thanks,
> Jeff
>
> Jeff Tanner, RPT
> School Of Music
> University of South Carolina
>
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