lazy RPT

[Alan R. Barnard]

I've learned (the hard way) that when there is uniform lost motion like that
I always look at blow distance first. A couple of felt squares and a little
Titebond are sure faster and easier than adjusting 88 capstans or lifter
nuts if the blow is too big anyway.

Alan Barnard
Snuggin' 'em Up in Salem, MO

----- Original Message -----
From: <Tvak@aol.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, October 22, 2002 8:05 PM
Subject: lazy RPT


> My wife's aunt called me and asked me to tune her piano, an Acrosonic.
Last
> time I was at her house I had noticed that there was considerable lost
motion
> in the action, so I told her she should tell her tuner about it and have
him
> take care of it. Since she is a professional musician, I was sure she
would
> feel the difference and appreciate it.
>
> Well, this was about a year ago, so I was curious to see if she had had it
> taken care of, or whether I was going to have to do it.  So I opened it up
> and checked it right away.
>
> It was gone.  No lost motion.  I played a C major scale starting on middle
C
> and it was tight as it could be.  But then I got to G5 and there it was;
lost
> motion on all the keys from G5 up.  So I checked downward and found the
lost
> motion started again at the tenor/bass break and went all the way down to
the
> bottom.  And not just a little bit of lost motion, either.  Most keys took
2
> turns of the capstan wrench.
>
> So I asked her, "Did you ask your tuner to take care of the lost motion?"
> And she replied, "Yes.  He took care of it last time he was here, but he
> didn't seem too happy about it."
>
> It seemed obvious to me that he only did the middle register.  He was her
> tuner for over 15 years.  It amazes me that this guy cared so little for
his
> faithful client.  He must have been on a tight schedule that day, but
> still...is that an excuse?
>
> His card was in the piano with the RPT logo.
>
> The bad news is: this is just another piano I'll have to tune for free for
> the rest of my life.
>
> Tom Sivak
>
>
>
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