Sticking Jacks

[John Freeman]

Philip Jamison wrote:
> 
>    I'm working on an Acrosonic console from the '50s with a sticky
> treble. Most notes in the top third stick after much play (maybe once in
> 30 hits). It's very erratic. I eased the keys and lubed the flanges
> which only partially helped. The whippen stays up, not the key, but the
> whippen drops when the hammer is pushed forward just a bit, so I think
> the jack is sticking against the butt. Sure enough, the butt felts
> (buckskin?) are graphited heavily. I replaced one with buckskin dusted
> with teflon. It stuck even worse than the others. I then put in a
> heavier jack spring, and this seems to work, but it gives a heavier
> touch. I've seen this problem in other pianos. Some tuners have glued
> weights to the whippen, etc. Any ideas?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Philip Jamison
> West Chester, PA

I tuned for two Baldwin dealers for 25 years, and ran across this
problem.  I found you can fix this problem by either checking the hammer
farther forward or farther back, I don't remember which but try forward
first.  

John Freeman
Professional Piano Technician
Muncie, Indian