Buzzzzz: Gray Market Yamaha U-1

Brian L Jane brianjaney@juno.com
Mon, 25 Oct 1999 22:34:03 -0700


Greetings List -

I had an appointment with a new client today that has one of the infamous
"gray market" U-1's [two pedals]. I explained to him the story on the
"gray market" instruments and he was a bit ticked [to put it mildly] that
this was not disclosed to him by the piano dealer. 

When I arrived on the scene, the instrument had a grim buzz on nearly
every note in the 4th and 5th octaves, in pertiucular around the treble
strut/break. I looked in all the usual places, but it had the sound of a
loose agraffe in a grand, but this was an upright. So I ran my hand up
the v-bar and touched each one of the screws as I was pounding on the
most offense note and discovered that the very top three v-bar screws
were loose, real loose. I do recall ever considering this kind of
adjustment to a v-bar, but I tightened them down and the buzz went away
to my surprise... and hopefully for good.

My question [in case I get called back to this client's home if this
resurfaces]: Is there anything else that I should concern myself with in
regards to this "agraffe" sounding buzz in a U-1? What kind of things
should I be weary of in making adjustments to a v-bar? How tight is
"tight enough" for a v-bar? [I used my tuning hammer screw driver bit to
get the needed toqure to get them snug].

Thanks for your responses in advance!
Brian Janey
Allegro Piano Svc
Fallbrook, CA 


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