[pianotech] Bass Key Slap

[Don Mannino]

My first thought is the keyframe needs bedding.

Don Mannino

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Arlie Rauch
Sent: Tuesday, March 29, 2011 4:27 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: [pianotech] Bass Key Slap

I was tuning a customer's Steinway today, and she wanted me to look also at
her Schimmel grand.  She heard noises, in the key she thought, in the lowest
notes.  I couldn't hear it at first, but then I did when thumping the lowest
8 or so notes--it sounded like a slap when the bottom of the key contacted
the front rail felt.  First I thought maybe the front rail felt is too hard,
but on my hour-drive home, I thought maybe the cause is elsewhere.  Why can
you hear that on the lowest bass notes, but when you play up higher the
sound is gone?  Maybe something is loose at the bass end in the action or
the keybed.  Any suggestions?  I hope to remedy this sometime when I go
back.

Arlie Rauch
Glendive, MT