Re: fake buckskin (?) (if that's what it is): <I have one of these Kohler & Campbells in my studio. One major repair that you will have to do is replace the faux buckskin on the backchecks (my guess would be within 6 years) the felt that they use will shred and fly all over the piano, leading the customer to ask "What's that yellow stuff all over my hammers and in my piano?" > Yes, I've seen the same stuff in Kawai verticals, I think -- after a few years, there's this yellow fuzz all over the catchers, backchecks, & regulating rail. Re: fractions to decimal: <Divide the bottom number by the top number. I.e. 4/3 = .75> No, you divide the top number by the bottom number. 3/4 = .75 ; 4/3 = 1.33 Re: <'d like to get the list's recommendations on which "coil maker" I should use. > Make your own from a chunk of hardwood or pinblock material, a tuning pin, and a small wood screw. The piece of wood can be approximately 1 1/2 x 2 x 2. Just drill a hole slightly undersize for the tuning pin, drive it in, then install the small wood screw about a quarter inch from the tuning pin, but let it stick up a half inch or so. This is what the piano wire bears against while you're winding the coil. Then just buy the crank handle from a supply house. Small, hand-held, cheap, works great. Thanks, everyone, for the opinions on the Mason & Hamlin vs. other options. I do everything short of installing new soundboards, so I'm not going to rebuild it even if she buys it. She found a slightly smaller Yamaha for about the same price and will probably go with that. --Dave Nereson, RPT
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