Wurlitzer Console Woes

Michael Magness IFixPianos at yahoo.com
Wed Apr 16 21:56:43 MDT 2008


On Wed, Apr 16, 2008 at 9:23 PM, John Formsma <formsma at gmail.com> wrote:

>  On Wed, Apr 16, 2008 at 8:35 AM, Dean May <deanmay at pianorebuilders.com>
> wrote:
>
> >  Some of those Wurlitzers can be very problematic with sluggish actions.
> > They just seem overly susceptible to the slightest imbalance of friction.
> > I've found that often the problem is the whippen center.
> >
>
> Ditto.  You have to check all the centers.  But the wippens are certainly
> troublesome.  It's $$$.00 if you can sell the job.
>
>
> >   Speaking of Wurly's, I've noticed a certain era of them that seem to
> > develop loose pins.  They have exposed pin blocks on the top which show an
> > apparently good quality multi-lam block. <snip>. While they are still
> > holding they aren't as tight as I'd like them to be. I'm wondering if the
> > blocks were made of some inferior wood to only make it look like a good
> > block.
> >
>
> That'd be my guess.  I've noticed the same thing.
>
> --
> JF
>

When I first began tuning I thought the first Wurly spinets I did needed to
be doped because the pins were so loose. Luckily I was in a store with an
older more experienced tech looking over my shoulder who told me no, that's
just the way Wurly pins 'em! As they age the wood between the pins breaks
out because the pins are so close together in the center octaves and they
use a long(2&1/2")pin which gives more chance of it moving around in the
wood more.

I have replaced the broken screws with lag bolts after first cutting a
screwdriver slot in the head with a dremel tool so I don't have to carry a
socket for them.
I just had one last fall with sluggish whippens & jacks, I treated them with
50/50 alcohol/water and hit them the next morning with my blow dryer. I took
the action back the next day and I only had a couple I had to treat a second
time.
Mike
-- 
The greatest challenge to any thinker is stating the problem in a way that
will allow a solution.
- Bertrand Russell

Michael Magness
Magness Piano Service
608-786-4404
www.IFixPianos.com
email mike at ifixpianos.com
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