[CAUT] In need of Mason & Hamlin shift lever

[Ken Zahringer]

Hey, Jeannie,

Several years ago I had a similar problem on a rebuild.  It took a while,
but I found a machinist who was old enough to know how to work with cast
iron.  He was able to braze the lever, and as far as I know it is still in
service.  Since then blacksmithing has seen somewhat of a resurgence, at
least around here, so it is probably easier now to find a knowledgeable
person.

Good luck,
Ken Z.


On 12/1/06 11:42 PM, "Jeannie Grassi" <jcgrassi at earthlink.net> wrote:

> Hello everyone,
> When I arrived to tune the Mason & Hamlin BB at the local church for the
> gala Christmas event there was a note asking me to adjust the "soft pedal"
> since it "slipped out" when they took the piano off the stage.  Would that
> it were only that simple.  The shift lever is broken in two.  They hadn't
> removed the lyre when they moved it off the stage.  (I don't even want to
> try to imagine the scenario....)  Supply houses no longer carry these;
> PianoDisc (Mason & Hamlin) doesn't have them.  My only chance is for one of
> you out there to part with one that you might have been saving for just such
> an emergency.  The piano is 1975 vintage; serial number: 79822.  If you
> think you might have something I can use, please contact me.  We'll compare
> notes.  Thanks much,
> jeannie
> 

-- 
Ken Zahringer, RPT
University of Missouri
School of Music