Andrew Anderson wrote: > I was called to tune a Baldwin SF yesterday. It tuned up beautifully > with a nice really clean treble. > > What bothered me was excessive action noise, thumping on every key. > It started to stand out in the midrange so I pulled the action > thinking there must be foreign objects or bedding issues. No FOs but > bedding might be an issue, no glides. > > Is this a typical feature of Baldwins or is this likely a bedding issue? > > Andrew Anderson. If this is on the release (most common), here is a checklist of possibilities. Pick an especially noisy note and check the following: -Hard knuckles (usually more of a 'clack' noise than thump): test by running a needle through the core felt from the side a couple of times just under the flattened spot. -Hard wippen heel cloth: test by running a needle through the middle of the thick cloth from the side 2 or 3 times just at the capstan depression. This is not fluffing the surface, but softening the cloth core where it has become compressed. - Hard back rail cloth: Lift to check if it's glued down at the back edge, if not rough it up a bit with a screwdriver, curl it up slightly, or lift it and put a small strip of thinnest bushing cloth under the back edge and see if that stops the noise. - Key knock: Balance rail pin holes too loose, balance rail punchings hard. Take a key out and swab the inside of the hole with boiling water. Dry it out (takes 2 minutes of waving the key around this time of year, right?) then ease carefully in the usual way, but leave a snug fit - it should not fall freely, but should drop slowly down when teased into motion a little. This is the dry weather fit, by the way - in higher humidity it will fall freely. Room acoustics really influence the perception of action noise as well. Hope this helps. Don Mannino
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