Ron, To start with, spacing. A tapered flange would help by slipping the normal hammer 'spacing tool' in there and positioning. A flat rail where sand paper would grip better and keep the hammer positioned better. Narrower flanges which are not crowding others so spacing_can_ be done. In other words, a better system. Even with placing emery cloth on the rail it is sometimes difficult to force the hammers to align. What makes that flange with the molded surface better than a flat surfaced flange which everyone the world over uses. And as you asked, why does S&S think this is superior. Or is it just tradition. Tradition didn't stop teflon bushings, knuckles without a buckskin covers or accelerated action bearings. So what's the big deal with this anyway. Is it really more cost effective to produce them? I doubt it. This being Labor Day weekend, I'm just pondering ways to save labor, mainly mine. I do not particularly enjoy spending the extra time needed to make these proprietary products function like the more simply made 'standard' the rest of the planet enjoys. Jon Page Harwich Port, Cape Cod, Mass. (jpage@capecod.net) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ At 09:47 AM 9/6/98 -0500, you wrote: >At 08:32 AM 9/6/98 -0400, you wrote: >>List (Lloyd), >>Is anyone looking into the feasibility of supplying replacement >>_standard_rails and brackets to relieve the burden of dealing with >>those wretched, hammer spacing intolerant molded rails? >> >>With all those split casings and overturning screws out there, a >>design with more user friendly aspects would have a welcome >>market, much the same as Renner USA's replacement back action. >> >>Just think of the possibilities . . . >> >>Jon Page >>Harwich Port, Cape Cod, Mass. (jpage@capecod.net) >> >>PS No dowel-type let off rails please, or at least have the tops >>beveled so as to allow easier access to the jack rest adj. screw. >>Now there's an idea. >> >>What type of rails are on the Boston pianos ? . . . >> > > >Having a bad day in regulation land Jon? Well cheer up, you will now have to >deal with the defenders of the holy design. That rail design is one of the >sacred cows of the inner herd. They are there because Theodore put them >there and nobody at the time knew what the heck Theodore was talking about >most of the time, so they didn't argue. They still, for the most part, don't >know, and certainly don't question, let alone argue. But since you brought >it up. What supposed benefit does this type of rail provide that even >remotely makes up for the stupid flange tricks necessary for regulation? > >I tuned a Boston this week, but I didn't look. Sorry. > > Ron > >
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC