Samick grand backcheck wear

[Paul E. Dempsey]

I see a number of this vintage Samicks and all seem to exhibit this 
problem. The first tip-off is the collection of yellow0orange-ish "fur" 
that has collected on the hammers and sometimes the dampers.
It is a combination of a poor quality leather(?) and a too aggressive 
roughing of the tails. Radius of the tails may play a part as well.

Yes, you can re-leather using a good quality tough leather. Or you can 
replace the backcheck heads( a fair job) or replace the backcheck and 
wire(a BIG job). Certainly you need to moderate the "tooth" of the 
roughing and check the radius. Good luck and have fun.


Clyde Hollinger wrote:


>Friends,
>
>I have been tuning a 1996 Samick SG-185 (serial IPCG0398) grand every
>three months for a little over a year.  Yesterday I pulled out the
>action for a look-see because it was noisier than I thought it should
>be, especially in the center area.  I tightened all the hammer flange
>screws, which didn't help any, and given my schedule for the day (and
>the fact that there hadn't been a complaint) I left it go at that for
>now.  (FWIW it also has a complete Dampp-Chaser system.)
>
>But in the process I noticed something else that surprised me,
>especially in a 7-year-old piano that probably doesn't get played more
>than an hour a week.  In the center of the piano where the use is
>heaviest, the backcheck buckskin is worn almost through to the felt.
>The hammer tails have like little micro-mini steps cut into them with
>very pronounced edges.  Now grand actions are not my forte, but I never
>saw anything quite this severe before.  I fully expect in another year
>or two the felt will be cut through.
>
>Is this normal for Samick?  I'm sure this configuration provides
>excellent checking, but a piano with light use shouldn't need
>replacement backchecks after only seven years.  Most backchecks are
>still decent even after decades.
>
>So what do I need to do here?  Can backchecks be re-leathered or do they
>need to be replaced?  Should something be done to the hammer tails so
>they work and yet cause less wear?  Is this a warranty issue?  I am open
>to all education on this topic and situation.
>
>Another wear problem is that the fallboard spring has ruined the felt in
>the slot.  I'll probably replace the felt with leather on my next call.
>I ran out of time this time.
>
>Regards,
>Clyde Hollinger, RPT
>Lititz, PA, USA
>
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>

-------------------
Paul E. Dempsey RPT
Piano Technician
Department of Music
Marshall University