Kawai KK Upright problem

[Andrew & Rebeca Anderson]

Thanks for the clarification, Oh, and Rebeca says Michael is right! ;-)

Andrew
At 10:49 PM 3/15/2004 +0000, you wrote:
>      Not to nick pick,but I wanted to correct something in your nameing 
> of the model of the Kawai you were talking about.KK is not a Kawai model 
> no..I was puzzled about that fact untill this afternoon when I tuned a 
> Kawai 506 console.I saw the medallion that is glued to the plate right at 
> the bass treble break that has two K's in the center.That is not where 
> you find the model for Kawais.The K's are the initials of the founder of 
> the company,K.Kawai.Just thought I would clear that up.The model number 
> is printed near the upper right corner of the plate.      Robin Olson
> > Yes, well that was why I was kicking myself.  A rushed volunteer job was a
> > little too rushed.
> >
> > Andrew
> >
> > At 06:42 PM 3/14/2004 -0400, you wrote:
> > >Hi Andrew,
> > >
> > >Experience, that is the key to our work.
> > >
> > >When I tune a piano, I always do a few major chords, with the pedal
> > >depressed. That particular problem, would have shown up right away.
> > >
> > >Doesn't everyone, try the piano after they tune, checking that the pedals
> > >work correctly, and adjust them accordingly?  I always took that as being
> > >part of the tuning.
> > >
> > >Regards,
> > >John M. Ross
> > >Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada
> > >jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca
> > >----- Original Message -----
> > >From: "Andrew & Rebeca Anderson" <anrebe@zianet.com>
> > >To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
> > >Sent: Sunday, March 14, 2004 6:32 PM
> > >Subject: Kawai KK Upright problem
> > >
> > >
> > > > I've been volunteer tuning a Kawai KK Upright.  (My only volunteer
> > > > venue.)  I didn't much like it but after a pitch-raise, some voicing up
>
> > > > around the tenor break, another tuning several months later; it was
> > > > starting to come around.  What I didn't like was how short the 
> sustain was
> > > > around the midrange of the piano.  It was somewhat better than a tuned
> > > > brick.  I was pondering what voicing methods would bring out 
> sustain.  I
> > > > didn't think lacquer was what was needed.  It adds attack and that was
> > > > already OK.
> > > > Later my wife played it to accompany some vocalists and I listened.  I
> > > > consoled myself that it was nicely in tune and that my stretch that had
> > > > seemed a little too aggressive while sitting at the piano sounded great
> > >out
> > > > in the hall.  But it still seemed muffled, especially in the low
> > > > treble.  It would soar and sound great as soon as it was played in the
> > >high
> > > > treble.  She came back and told me, "There's something wrong with the
> > > > damping."  Couldn't be that, the dampers moved when the pedal was 
> pushed
> > > > and there was sustain, just not enough.  The bass was a little 
> better but
>
> > > > not as free as it should be.  Free!  It had one of those practice mute
> > >felt
> > > > screens that lowered when the middle pedal was activated.  I had 
> worked on
> > > > that a bit to make sure it wasn't interfering but the spring had 
> seemed a
> > > > little weak.  During an intermission while several others were 
> practicing
> > > > with her I determined to do something about it.  I folded back the lid
> > > > figuring I could take loop out of the spring and get that nasty felt
> > > > curtain out of the way.
> > > > I went up and opened the lid while she was playing.  She gave me that,
> > > > "There's  something wrong with the piano, do something about it." look.
> > > >
> > > > Being an upright it never occurred to me to stand up and try to look
> > > > between the dampers and the strings while standing an the damper
> > > > pedal.  ;-)  I watched the felt curtain and the hammers weren't 
> catching
> > > > it.  Something caught my attention and I looked and noticed that even
> > >while
>
> > > > the damper pedal was activated, the played keys would push the dampers
> > >back
> > > > almost twice as far.  More, there was one that was firmly ensconced 
> on its
> > > > strings even when the damper pedal was down.  They didn't release 
> from the
> > > > strings evenly, some touched more than others.  None of them completely
> > > > cleared the strings.  huh?...BINGO!
> > > >
> > > > My wife is rather patient with me...I pulled out the knee panel 
> while she
> > > > was playing and then started turning that wing nut on the 
> trapwork.  The
> > > > sound opened right up,  It could still use some more voicing but it 
> is a
> > > > different piano now.  Moral of the story, when things don't sound 
> right it
> > > > doesn't hurt to waste a little time looking at the dampers.  Next 
> time I
> > > > have time to volunteer I'll do a little damper regulating too.
> > > > I've kicked myself a few  times over that one since last night.  What
> > > > amuses me is that they had this piano for years now and no-one else 
> caught
>
> > > > it.  The other regular pianists had been complaining about it too, they
> > > > told me afterwards.  I had volunteered on the piano because I hated the
> > >way
> > > > it sounded.
> > > >
> > > > Another piano a some more experience,
> > > > Andrew
> > > > Las Cruces, NM
> > > >
> > > > _______________________________________________
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> > > >
> > >
> > >
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