bobbling hammers-1993 Kranich&Bach

[Lance Lafargue]

Kirsi,
Well, all of the responses that we've gotten have been great and added to
our arsenal.  Interesting that you mention climate though.  This piano is 2
feet from a gas fireplace and the weather here has been extremely unusual. 
Today it is the 60's and raining.  We've had every type of weather
imaginable the past several weeks- El Nenio (sp?) you know!  30's to the
70's. I have already installed a dehumidifier with humidistat to control it
on this piano because it is such a cheap little piano with so much cheap
pressboard and poor design.  Looking closely at the angle of the butt on
the Kawai may tell you if you have to dramatically lessen hammer blow
distance so that the jack can get out of the way.  Some of these responses
may help you.  I've never had this problem with Kawai.  Actually I've never
NOT been able to correct it, so it really has me baffled.
Lance Lafargue, RPT
New Orleans Chapter
Covington, LA.
lafargue@iamerica.net

----------
> From: Kirsi Lassi <kirsi.lassi@pp.inet.fi>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Vs: bobbling hammers-1993 Kranich&Bach
> Date: Tuesday, February 03, 1998 5:13 AM
> 
> 
> - bobbling hammers-1993 Kranich&Bach
> 
> 
> Hi
> 
> I've come across this problem recently with a large Kawai upright. It is
in a school
> where the climatic conditions are changing A LOT. Plus it is being moved
to another
> room and back again every morning, which I think increases all the
problems.
> I began by doing the "obvious things" (key height, key depth, pilots...)
but the
> bobbling keeps coming back. I have read with interest your advice, and so
far
> I've tried all of them. It seems that I have to keep an eye on that
instrument
> all the time, and every time I go there, it's a different trick that
works...
> I hope I don't run out of tricks before it is time to start the trick
list from the beginning
> again.
> 
> 
> Kirsi Lassi
> Piano Technician
> Finland
> E-mail: kirsi.lassi@pp.inet.fi
> >Dear List,
> >I GIVE UP!  I've been trying to help a customer of mine who bought a
cheap
> >Kranich & Bach (made in Europe, 1993, sold by Baldwin) 42" upright. 
This
> >piano had double striking or bobbling hammers when I first saw it.  To
be
> >brief and to the point; I added let-off distance and dip, still some
> >bobbling on soft blows, added more, still bobbling at times, then I
added
> >key height/dip, adjusted checking, and unless you are VERY deliberate
and
> >get to the very end of each key stroke, IT STILL DOES IT occasionally.
> >Maker won't help, they said (basically) that's what you get for buying a
> >cheap piano.  Now, the piano is no fun to play and you still get the
> >occasional bobble if you're not careful.  
> >
> >I have come across this problem hundreds of times over the years and
have
> >always been able to regulate it out, but I can't seem to get this one to
> >stop without regulating it out of the comfort zone.  I remember some
> >Samicks and Yamahas in the low tenor had this problem due to the angle
of
> >the surface on the butt where the jack contacts.  Any ideas?  Thanks
very
> >much!
> >Lance Lafargue, RPT
> >New Orleans Chapter
> >Covington, LA.
> >lafargue@iamerica.net
> >
>