[CAUT] Steinway Pedal Lyre Regulation After Reconditioning

[Fred Sturm]

What about under the pedals, the cushions that provide a positive stop  
(pedals at rest)? I have had pianos returned after a rebuild project  
where those were too thick, leading to the problems you mention.

Regards,
Fred Sturm
fssturm at unm.edu
http://www.youtube.com/fredsturm
On Aug 14, 2010, at 12:20 AM, Paul Milesi, RPT wrote:

> Today I re-installed a reconditioned 1970 Steinway D lyre, and found  
> that
> all the rods are too long.
>
> I believe all the basic parts are "original."  I replaced all the  
> pedal
> bushings -- leather, rubber pedal rod bushings with the little leather
> inserts, teflon pivot rod bushings, pedal cushions (ravioli) , etc.   
> Now the
> sostenuto piston is protruding up into the keybed 1/8" or maybe  
> 1/16", the
> dampers have a slight ring, and I'm not sure what's going on with  
> the una
> corda because I still have the action torn down, but the trap lever  
> looks
> high.
>
> The pedal rods are the newer adjustable type, and I didn't expect  
> this to be
> a problem.  But I've got the nut turned all the way down as far as  
> it will
> go and they're still too long.  There's only one leather disk on  
> each trap
> lever (original I believe, and slightly worn in), and no felt or other
> bushing or shim in that area.
>
> I'm thinking this might be because the system in 1970 was to place a  
> larger
> leather bushing in the bottom of the pedal receiving end, and the  
> rubber
> bushing only went around the outside of the rod, whereas now you've  
> got the
> thickness of the leather + the thickness of the rubber bushing  
> underneath.
> But I thought they made the little leather inserts thinner than the  
> larger
> diameter leather bushings that went in the bottom of the pedal.
>
> An alternative source for the problem might be thicker ravioli.
>
> I'm inclined to cut the rods, but don't want to mess up original  
> equipment
> for the long term unless that is the way to go based on lots of  
> experience
> from other reconditioners/rebuilders.  Are there subtle differences  
> in the
> length of pedal rods over the years?  What about trying to compress  
> the
> ravioli?  Any other ideas?
>
> Am I missing something here?
> -- 
> Paul Milesi, RPT
> Staff Piano Technician
> Howard University Department of Music
> Washington, DC
>
>