Kranich & Bach parts

[RndyPotter@aol.com]

John Ford used to be willing to remake about any part anyone wanted, and he
had a boxes of some of just about every part ever made the last time I was at
his shop. I suspect whomever bought it all out has it around, and perhaps
available. Ernie Juhn might know whom to ask.

Also, Ralph Onesti has action making machinery, and advertises that he will
make new parts.

Also check with Bob Marinelli. After buying out all Peter Grey's key bushing
production machines, and what's-his-names (sorry Frank Van....) key frame
making machinery, he took a serious machining course at the local college.
Maybe he can make them for you.

Both Pacific Piano Supply Renner have action parts sample kits that allow you
to pick parts and mix and match flanges, wippens, wippen feet, shanks, and so
on, to build wippens and shanks and flanges to the dimensions you need. Parts
can be modified, as needed, to achieve necessary dimensions. Bear in mind
that you may have to do a little creative action re-design, such as plugging
and moving the capstan - and if you don't know how to do this, to maintain
action geometry that works correctly, you need to find someone to work with
you who does. There is nothing wrong with experimentation, especially if it
is your own piano, but you need to do it one, or three (two naturals and a
sharp), notes at a time, as samples, and go all the way through a complete
regulation, checking weigh-off, etc., making sure it works right - before
going and doing the rest of the piano.

Someone suggested you torch it, and another to throw it away, but that may
not be appropriate. People have all sorts of reasons for rebuilding pianos
that most would think is a waste of their time and money. While I inform my
clients of the reasons they, sometimes, may not be able to sell their piano
for what they are putting into it, we also discuss the potential reasons for
doing the work. A family heirloom piano is an example. My neighbor has a
butt-ugly '73 Mercury Cougar - chartreuse green. Probably spent more
restoring it than it cost new; and he even kept the same, ugly color. But, it
was their make-out car in high school, and it means something to them - so it
was worth it to them to restore it, even though they could not sell it for
25% of what they have put into it. And they will get a whole lot less use
from it than someone rebuilding a K&B, or a Brambach, grand.
Another reason for doing the job is for the experience of tackling something
a little more challenging - which is also a worthy reason. However, make sure
that in the process of learning, you don't end up with a situation where your
client ends up paying by receiving a poorly performing instrument. This is
why learning is often best accomplished at home, on your own instrument.
There are a lot of folks out there who learn by giving hard knocks to their
clients, which is the wrong thing to do. Yes, they should be expected to pay
fairly for the result. But if you, or I, have to do two or three times the
work because we are ignorant of what to do, or how to do it right the first
time, they should still only have to pay a fair price for the accomplished
work.

Summary: Yes, it can be done, either by repairing and remanufacturing the
original parts, or by having new replacement parts made, or by designing new
parts from available options I mentioned. Whether or not it is worth the cost
is another matter, and that can only be determined by yourself and your
client.

Randy Potter, R.P.T.