>If I were in your shoes, I'd just yank 'em and replace 'em. Sounds like >you've done everything but declare them dead.....which I'd put my money on! >In my experience, juicing those hammers would just make it too loud and >bright.....wait, you already said that! 6;-) I've suggested to the customer that the piano should be rebuilt again for reasons I will mention, however he refuses to spend the money on it even if he can afford it. The piano once belonged to a famous(!) local pianist who had it rebuilt in the seventies (with Steinway action parts). In addition to the hammer problem, there is no leather on the knuckles, just the felt roll; the understring felt is red in the bass and green in the treble sections; there are lines of screws all over the 'board holding the ribs down (well, I suppose that was the idea... on some of them the glue dried before they tried to suck the ribs down); and some of the repaired cracks have opened up beside the shims. He loves the piano though (except for the brightness) and is concerned about the quality of a rebuild. Because of the damage to the 'board it should really be replaced but he's concerned it won't be a Steinway anymore unless it goes back to the factory (at a cost of over $20 thousand CDN) and even then if he does any parts replacement it won't be as "historical" as it is now. John John Musselwhite, RPT Calgary, Alberta Canada musselj@cadvision.com john.musselwhite@67.cambo.cuug.ab.ca
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