[pianotech] (no subject)

[Ron Nossaman]

Matthew Todd wrote:
> I went to pitch raise/tune a new clients piano today.  The piano is a 
> Wurlitzer Console.
>  
> Almost the entire treble section was sluggish upon return of each key.  
> So I began my investigative process.  I held the key with one hand and 
> moved the hammer with the other.  It returned just fine.  I then held 
> the key and moved the backcheck, and it returned fine.  I thought maybe 
> tight balance rail bushings.  So I eased a sample key, but it did not 
> good.  I could not figure out what the problem was.

In my experience, the two worst problems are in the keys, by 
design. The keys are too front heavy. While the center rail 
bushings are still new, and the wip centers are hosed down 
with the silicone elixir, They'll mostly work. The fan angle 
of the keys is pretty extreme in these things, and the 
outboard center bushing wears badly as a result, while the 
inboard one remains untouched. Once a little cup has worn into 
the outboard bushing, it adds enough angular resistance to the 
resistance of the front heaviness that the weight of the wip 
won't overcome it, and the key won't rise. At this point, 
gallons of lubricant won't fix it, but rebushing the center 
(which STILL won't fix it) will get it nominally working 
again. I'd start with lubrication (silicone/naphtha or Protec 
CLP) and hope that's enough.

I used to run into this front heavy key thing regularly in 
Baldwin consoles too, only it was C-8 that was the problem 
there. I've whittled weight reducing scoops out of scores of 
Baldwin C-8 keys to get them to work.
Ron N