Two action questions

[Brian Trout]

Hi Richard,

I too am baffled by the "P" namebrand.??

The poor repeating of notes on a grand...  I was going to suggest the
repetition centers, but you said they're good.  You did mention that the
hammers are on the light side.  Are the repetition springs set tight enough?
If they're pretty relaxed, it's hard to get good repetition, and with a
light hammer, the springs are normally set with less tension.  I did see a
promotional video put out by Steinway, not really intended to be much more
than an advertisement, that showed a 2 or 3 second clip of a tech setting
the repetition springs.  It was interesting to me that they were setting
those springs pretty tight, a lot tighter than I've seen other techs make
them.  But I've tried making them tighter, and it does seem to improve
repetition, but the other side of the coin to be reckoned with is checking.
Too tight and checking can be very difficult, and blubbering hammers can be
very annoying.  Now there's another can of worms... how tight is too
tight?...

As for the Yamaha, the only thing I can think of is just what others have
been suggesting, action frame bedding.  I'm not that familiar with the
Yamahas, but I'm guessing that perhaps there could be touch bolts, glide
adjustments, or similar devices, either in the keyframe, or the keybed, that
would adjust the balance rail area of the action frame, and the front rail
area of the action frame.  I'm not sure of the key rest rail?.  The only
other thing that comes to mind, and you've probably already checked this, is
the possibility of loose screws, the ones that hold the action rails to the
action frames.

I do like a puzzle!!  :-)

Good luck, Richard.  Let us know how it turns out.

Brian Trout
Quarryville, PA
btrout@desupernet.net

-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Brekne <richardb@c2i.net>
To: PTG <pianotech@ptg.org>
Date: Tuesday, August 31, 1999 1:43 PM
Subject: Two action questions


>Hi list
>
>I got two questions for you all relating to grand actions.
>
>#1.  From time to time I run into a so called quality grand sort (I wont
>mention the name but it starts with a "P"  grin) that has an odd ball
>problem regarding regulation. Basically said, unless the jack is
>regulated waaaayyy back, the note will miss. I ran into this problem on
>an action I just reworked, I had repacked the nuckles insureing a nice
>round shape, took much care to regulate the return springs nicely,
>height of the tip of the jack to repetition lever was set to play it
>safe (I have had this problem before on other such grands) made sure of
>basically everything.  Still, upon setting the action in the piano
>fifteen or twenty notes miss. And try as I may to find a reason, the
>only thing that seems to help is to set the jacks so that they are well
>back of the back edge of the core of the knuckle. Jack tips are barely
>beveled and this is taken into acount. I suspect action geometry..(It is
>never all that good on these things). Any ideas ???
>
>
>#2. Brand new Yamaha C7.  Action is very well bedded, and regulated.
>Still on hard play in the middle area, 8 or 9 hammers on each side of
>the note being hit raise (hop) very noticible. Feels like the hammer
>rail is moving. All screws are dead tight. Lots of power seems to
>dissapear. Only happens in the middle section of the action..
>Suggestions ??
>
>Thanks muchly
>
>Richard Brekne
>I.C.P.T.G.  N.P.T.F.
>Bergen, Norway
>
>