One of the pianos I service at a Teachers College is a Dietmann upright bought new in 1990. When I serviced it six months ago it was in good contion, but now it has a problem that perplexes me. Starting from F3 up to the top the front of the key level progressively rises until it measures a 1/2" gap above the front board. The keys are so far off the front rail that the top key will even play when I put my key level block under it. Everything else sees to be in adjustment. Capstan heights are regular throughout. Balance rail punchings are the same throughout. The back rail cloth is okay. Action brackets on both ends are the same height. The keys are so high off the front rail that they can even move out of the slots when playing. When the fall board is replaced the high treble keys are blocked so that they only way to render them playable is to shim up the fall board on the treble side. Adding height to the back rail cloth brings the level down of course, but then the capstans would have to be radically altered. The music instructor in charge of the pianos says that he suspects the piano may have been dropped when being moved upstairs. However, I cannot see any signs of damage. Gary Isaac South Africa
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