[CAUT] BALDWIN tray-height?List,

[Jim Harvey]

Mark, I first thought you had answered your own question -- make new
pivot blocks.

I was about to question the 'new' part of the pivot blocks, instead of
repositioning existing mounts. In the mental exercise, I'm thinking
along the lines of Japanese pianos where everything is based on plumb,
square, straightedge, and so on. I then considered that perhaps, to
get the piano out the back door, someone took liberties in obtaining
travel from key versus pedal/tray.

I then read the message again, and saw the word "several". That made
me reconsider earlier thoughts, but frankly, I've run out of mental
visualizations -- probably from thinking about all the other points!
:)

Without seeing the situation, I'd suggest thinking through the chain
of events, such as: a) are the 'several' pianos from a certain
serial/vintage (and this 'feature' became factory SOP as of a certain
date); b) signs of bass damper felt dimensions on these instruments
required situational tweaking (momentary vendor supply problem?); c)
either as an initial cause or subsequent effect -- the length of
damper wires needed for proper adjustment (what if the wires were cut
too short en masse, requiring the top blocks be jacked up, thus
requiring the tray... you get the picture.

I've solved a lot of issues by asking myself "is this the way the
factory did it"? If so, "why"? Or, am I following variations that
happened after production? If I'm satisfied that I'm not following
anyone, I typically give the manufacturer the benefit of the doubt.

I'll leave the /real/ answer for the /real/ Baldwin guru's, since I'm
seeing less and less -new- Baldwin around here.

Jim Harvey

----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: "Mark Cramer" <Cramer at brandonu.ca>
To: CAUT <caut at ptg.org>
Received: 3/14/2007 2:39:47 PM
Subject: [CAUT] BALDWIN tray-height?List,


>Hi List,

>I've recently done some damper regulation on several Baldwins and noticed
>the damper tray higher by a good 1/8th" in the Bass.

>As a result, in order to get good timing with the keys, the end felts have
>all been shimmed to match the slope.

>I want to replace key-end felts and would rather not duplicate this uh, er..
>"feature."

>Any good reasons why I shouldn't make new pivot blocks and level the tray?

>Is the tilted tray a  deliberate Baldwin "feature," anyone know?
-- 
Jim Harvey, RPT
<harvey.pianotech at gmail.com>
<www.harveypiano.com>