re- fortepiano key "bushing

[Stephen Birkett]

> I thought I'd mention an interesting and useful material I've found for
> shimming the frontrail holes in the keys of a McCobb fortepiano
> (Graf copy)
   ^^^^^^^^^ NOT a copy.
> here. This instrument is 15 years or more old, and the keys produced
> considerable clacking noise because of excessive play on the front pins. I
> should mention that the keys have what I suppose might be termed "key shoes"
> (as opposed to recessed "plates") made of hardwood, U-shaped, and glued to th
> e
> bottoms of the keys around the frontrail hole. I assume these were installed
> in the hope that the hole would stay the proper size for a longer time, but
> these are also ultimately what caused the problem of clacking. Because once
> they've worn enough to allow for any play whatsoever then there can be plenty
> of noise introduced. In a recital here a couple of years ago the noise could
> be heard clearly from the audience.
>
This illustrates very well the pitfalls involved with trying to
improve on early builders' designs. Graf did *not* use these `shoes'
on his instruments...I'm not aware of noise problems on original 150
year old Grafs due to front key bushing. Does the McCobb have
hardwood key buttons on *top* of the keys, over the front bushings,
as used by Graf?


Stephen Birkett (Fortepianos)
Authentic Reproductions of 18th and 19th Century Pianos
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
tel: 519-885-2228
fax: 519-763-4686