[pianotech] Quick Question - New Type Steinway Lyre and Leg Attachment

Joe DeFazio defaziomusic at verizon.net
Mon Jul 6 23:02:34 MDT 2009


Hi All,

I stopped at a hall tonight very briefly to look at a rental S&S B  
that was just moved in for some upcoming concerts.  Regulation is a  
disaster.  I immediately noticed that one of the lyre support sticks  
was not installed properly by the piano movers (it was just hanging  
there).  I also noticed that the legs attach via the new S&S method  
(as of the last couple of years).  I have not worked on the legs or  
lyres of any of these new-style S&S grands before.

My question is:  besides the fact that the lyre is locked in place by  
two screws instead of a cam, is there any difference in the lyre  
attachment system as compared to the traditional S&S lyre?  In other  
words, is it just sliding-dovetailed metal plates that slide forward  
(towards the performer) to dismount, or is it some new-fangled  
contraption?   Yes, for the record, I like new-fangled contraptions.   
I like excellently engineered old-fangled contraptions, too.

I will have barely enough time to take care of some serious regulation  
problems tomorrow between rehearsals, so if anyone can save me even a  
few minutes of fussing around during that brief and inadequate time, I  
would appreciate it.  I would normally not ask a question of the list  
that I could figure out on my own, but in this instance, I won't have  
any figuring time.  I also hate to go hurriedly whacking on piano  
parts with a mallet if, in fact, they weren't designed to be whacked.   
A piano is not a perky plastic mole.

Thanks,

Joe DeFazio
Pittsburgh

P.S. -  I have absolutely no reason to take the legs off, but if  
anyone wants to remind me and the list how the new leg mounting system  
works, I bet I'm not the only list member who read about it some time  
ago and forgot it since....


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