Stretchy, We'll assume you don't do that altogether too literally. More information is needed, but I respectfully suggest you go back and check things over. Some things to look for come to mind looking at your list, so, please follow along. At 09:59 PM 3/10/97 -0500, you wrote: >hi list- > >Steinway D. Repeats nicely without using pedal. Starts to miss when pedal >is stepped down. How old? What action? Which pedal? What circumstances? >All centers lubed w/protek and seem free What does "seem free" mean to you? To me, being old fashioned, it means that: - the balancier has about 4-5 grams resistance. (Hard to measure without a gauge.) - the wippen falls freely with a flange screw. - the jack flops merrily in the breeze, as long as its path does not intersect that of the balancier. - the hammer falls freely with a flange screw, but not too freely - better a little tight. >Check is high If it's closer than 5/8", it's too close. >Spring is lively OK, it's a D. The springs have to move the hammers; just how much feedback do you get through the keys? Some is ok. >jack just slightly below cradle/under knuckle as little as needed without >skip on FFF When you "wink" the fly, does the hammer move? What do you feel through the tender? >minimal aftertouch AH. Don't believe everything you read in books. If there is insufficient aftertouch, the instrument is uncontrollable out of the box, and nothing else matters. If there is too much, the jack burys in the window of the balancier (this is where poor pianists develop tendonitis), and the key never quite hits "bottom". This is a tough call, particularly if the piano has soft front rail punchings combined with too many thin card and paper ones. An insufficiently hard blow on testing the key depth will yield a very uneven keydip. If that is then compounded with a basic measurement that is off, the thing will drive like the proverbial tank. >No parts rubbing together "Everything up and down. Not too much side to side." Franz Mohr >Not a problem in the key itself Probably not. >What do I do? "Regulation: Step One: Tighten all the screws. Step Two: Make sure all the screws are tight." - Freddie Odenheimer OK - that's glib. But there's also a point. This is a D, and, because of that we'll assume that people actually want to be able to play it. We'll also assume that, like most Ds, it's located where you simply do not have either the quality or quantity of time you want/need to do your job well. And, since we don't want to run off any more subscribers than we already have, we know that we all want to do the very best we can with every single piano we see. So, since you probably can't really take the thing apart... I think that the clue may be in your third sentence - "starts to miss when pedal is stepped down". Especially if the pedal being depressed is the damper pedal, yes? Check the bedding of the keyframe very carefully. My preferred method: 1.- Remove the fallboard, action, etc. Check for and correct any problems found with debris, spills, keybed, keyframe, etc. 2.- Replace the action, and tighten the cheekblocks (see earlier posts). 3.- Turn the glides up sufficiently to hear that special, hollow, knocking sound when you strike the top of the glide with the heel of your hand. 4.- Once you are satisfied that the glides are clearing, then begin setting them - starting with the one situated at the bass/tenor break. 5.- DEPRESS THE DAMPER PEDAL FULLY, and either block it in place or be sure you do not release it. (No, we didn't have to do this on older instruments.) 6.- With the mass of the dampers off the key ends, gradually turn down the bass/tenor glide, tapping between adjustments. Tap. Lift and drop. Wiggle. Whatever gives _you_ the sense of having set the glide. 7.- Proceed with the next glide to toward the treble. When you get it set, go back and check the first one. 8.- Etc. up to the top, each time, going back and rechecking all of the other glides. 9.- When done with the top, it is time to do the very bottom one. The leverage is definitely against you here, so work carefully. I'll often place a rule against the #1 key to see when the barest movement takes place and then check with knocking, lifting, etc. 10.- Check all the glides. 11.- Now, work the shift and damper pedals vigorously for a few seconds. Then go back and double check everything. Yes, this is a good deal of work until you get a rhythm going. After a few times with each piano, they will (mostly) settle in, and only minor changes will have to be made. There are other methods. This one has worked for me for a long time. I suspect that there are other issues here. But, every good regulation has to begin somewhere, and it might as well be checking out the bedding. Hope this helps a little. Best. Horace Horace Greeley Stanford University email: hgreeley@leland.stanford.edu voice mail: 415.725.9062 LiNCS help line: 415.725.4627
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