Uprights

[Roger Jolly]

Hi Ralph.
           I think a lot of our fraternity is missing the boat on
rebuilding the better quality/condition uprights. A few tips that may help.

   1. Replacing the butts, saves the repining hassle, plus bridle strap
replacement, catcher leathers are new so no problems ect.
   2. After the shanks are glued and roughly spaced and travelled, we clamp
the shanks with the samples of the old shanks at the end of each section.
Using a circular saw in a Dremel tool all the shanks are trimmed to length
in a few minutes. Doing the butts, shanks and hammers, with a little
practice is a half day job
   3. Replace jack springs, and take a damp cloth and a hot voicing iron
and steam out the dimple in the wippen cloth. (Capstan) 
   4. Replace the the bushings in the damper lift rod bushings and melt
parafine wax into bushing cloth, also check hanger alignment, this will
save a lot of trouble with damper reg later. Steam the damper lift cloth as
described above.
   5. Damper replacement. We buy Yamaha U1 damper sets with blocks and
install these, imagination is needed for each unit, but the triple bass
blocks and 4 contact point type treble blocks are far more efficent than
the originals. Once you try them you will never return to the supply house
type dampers. The Renner dampers seem to give a lot more geometry problems.
The quieting of the over ring problems, associated with the large verticals
greatly enhances their performance.
   6. Nickle plating pedals is a little cheaper than replacement,plus no
problems refitting.
   
    Someone on the list asked what $4,000.00 Canadian is? 75Cent U.S. buys
$1.00
Can. But in many areas the cost of living is less so it is difficult to
easily make a comparison. For instance Big markets like Toronto will get a
much higher dollar that our prarie region.

   A postscipt re steaming wippen cloth before someone screams. God
judgement has to be used weather to replace or not.
   Well guys I hope this helps, as it sure can boost your summer income,
and gain you a great deal of experience and credibility in your area.
Kind Regards.
Roger Jolly
University of Saskatchewan
Dept. of Music.