BIG FRONT

[APS3352@cs.com]

In reference to your comments about technician unfriendly piano cabinets I 
will certainly agree that progress in that area has been not been what it 
might.   Some years  ago I noticed that was having a time lifting some lower 
panels safely clear of the front legs before it could begin to slip from my 
papery skin grip. On taking a look at the problem I found the following:  1) 
Older U-1 had a lower panel made of plywood  weighing about 12#  and came 
equipped with a knob for handy index finger-thumb grasp; the same was true 
for older Yamaha consoles.  2) Current M-500's and P-22's have a lower panel 
made of a particle board type material, weigh in at around 22#,  are 
sometimes coated with an ultra slippery compound, have NO assist knob, and 
have an edge surface with a roughness about 40 grit should you be unlucky 
enough to have it scrape it along another finished surface. I found it 
necessary to grasp it at the ends which means a spread eagle crouch. My 
solution was to make up a '"knob kit" consisting of plastic knobs sprayed in 
about 4 colors to harmonize with the wood finishes.  At Service Bond time or 
later I would make a decision about regular future potential and if it looks 
likely, the piano gets a knob. I made a real effort to avoid wood butchery in 
the materials and technique used.  Each knob is separated from the finished 
surface with a nice leather washer and the screw head on the back of the 
panel seats on a fender washer.  The whole process is done using a  small 
chuck and a hex head screw driver  and my cordless Panasonic screwdriver 
which I carry in my tuning kit. It takes about 5 minutes. Once "knobbed" it 
is surprising how easily a finger and thumb safely and quickly lifts out a 
22# lower panel.
Ken Amend, RPT





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