Baldwin Console

[Clark Sprague]

List,
     I have been working on a lot of new Baldwin uprights, and one thing that we
just "do" to all of them is to put a drop of Weldbond glue, thinned with water,
right at the junction of the bridle tape and the bridle tape wire.  It seems
that the bridle tapes are "hard", and under any kind of blow, they make a sound
like a rattle.  It is faint, but definitely audible.  See if this helps any.
Let the list know.
   Clark Sprague
   Associate member
   Cleveland Chapter

jim krentzel wrote:

> Les:
> I wouldn't be too quick to replace the butt or catcher material.  If this
> material is the source of your problem, I think the keys would also click on
> a soft blow.  Since you mentioned that the piano has been stored in a hot
> environment for a few years, I'd be more inclined to think that there are
> loose glue joints that click on hard blows.  A drop of CA glue at the
> hammer/shank joint and the shank/butt joint would tell you if this is the
> case.  If this is one of those 40" consoles with lifter wires, I'd look at
> the condition of the rubber grommets at the ends of the keys.  When these
> get hard with heat, they click when the key is played hard.  The lifter wire
> slides through the grommet when the key stops with a hard blow.  When the
> wire comes back to rest, the bottom of the plastic nut (above the grommet)
> clicks on the grommet.  A little more dip could be preventing the wire from
> sliding.
>
> Jim Krentzel