If this were my project................ All major work would be done in my shop (I hate doing this stuff in the home - just my preference). Take two of the worst centers apart at piano. Inspect the pins - is there corrosion or goo on the pins - or are they clean and shiny? Check bushings - are they 90 years old and crusty hard (if the bushings are hard, you'll never get even/desired pinning resistance)? - do they have black (orange, green, purple, whatever) crud in them (age independent)? - or is this a newer piano and the bushing feel soft and look clean (best checked by light reaming when installing new pin)? If they are real old/hard or caked with crud, you may have to rebush (I hate the sound of that - can we change it to reclintoning?). If the piano is old/low-end and/or the player is not terribly accomplished and the owner is looking for basic function - not high performance - and bushings look good - then take the hammer rail to your shop and alcohol/water shrink-size the bushings with an overnight dry. This is the cheapest approach and often meets the needs of many piano owners. If the owner wants the best performance, then repin, and rebush if needed. Terry Farrell
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC