This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment Thanks all for your rich set of responses. Meanwhile, please, I need = your reaction to this: I have tuned the piano a couple of times, filed the godawful hammers, = and done a quick regulation. During this, I pointed out to client the = lack of jack regulating screws. He then discussed this with a pianist = friend from New York, who sent this remark: "The knuckles (felt covered with buckskin) on the hammershank are = probably misshapen or compressed also. I am sure that the little jack = felts could be replaced, but it would be a lot of work and I don't know = how final adjustments are made. Everybody in NYC area replaces the whole = action on pianos that vintage, and when that works the piano can be = dreamy to play. It often does not work out quite that well unfortunately = - over the years Steinway used at least seven different sets of = dimensions for their parts - varying here and there by a millimeter or = so - and there are also many sizes of new parts, so it takes a bit of = experimentation to get it right. A lot of technicians don't even come = close; I have seen many new actions that were just too heavy to play. = Yesterday Reinhard was trying to get a 1888 B to play that had just been = rebuilt at the Steinway factory . They had sent it back to the owner = with a new action that was around 75 grams instead of 48. Unplayable. He = was trying to improve it with key leads - Steinway had randomly removed = a bunch, so one key was 80 grams and the very next maybe 55. They also = had used new Steinway whippens which had a flat heel which did not match = AT ALL the angled capstan in the key, so that added to the fucked up = feel. Piano keys, and all the action parts move in slight arcs. The = original Steinway parts accommodated that for perfect power transfer. = Along the way Steinway seem to have forgotten that, so new pianos and = parts are manufactured thinking that keys and action parts go straight = up and down, no pivoting, no arcs." But Dale says "The Stwy factory wippen is a great part & it fits every = piano they ever made without having to change buttons". I'd wager that = Dale knows a thing or two more than this pianist, but there must be some = underlying facts to account for the pianist's opinion. Thoughts? Meanwhile I will certainly get the Renner kit, look up Ed McMorrow, and = study a bit about action geometry. The client doesn't want to do the = major work just yet, and is delighted with the improvements I have made = ... "The piano sounds beautiful after your work, much more even, less = harsh, and the action is much, much smoother and lighter. I've been = making some notes about some slight variations in voicing, but overall = it's a huge improvement." ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Erwinspiano@aol.com=20 To: pianotech@ptg.org=20 Sent: Saturday, May 01, 2004 8:20 AM Subject: Re: 1906 Stwy wippens In a message dated 4/30/2004 7:31:07 PM Pacific Standard Time, = jkanter@rollingball.com writes: ----- Original Message -----=20 From: jason kanter=20 To: Pianotech=20 Sent: Friday, April 30, 2004 9:33 PM Subject: 1906 Stwy wippens Client has a beautiful 1906 Steinway B. It will need new hammers = and shanks (misshapen knuckles). The wippens have moth damage, and they = are the old jack style that had no jack positioning screw. The capstans = are set at an angle. Will new wippens fit this old action? Or should I = refurb the old wippens? Jason Jason The Stwy factory wippen is a great part & it fits every piano they = ever made withoput having to change buttons DAle ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/fe/d8/62/d3/attachment.htm ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--
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