[pianotech] 234 Steinway B

David Ilvedson ilvey at sbcglobal.net
Sat Apr 18 22:52:34 PDT 2009


List,
 
I'm working with a older Steinway B...new action.  I've have been trying to figure what is with the action...?   What I found is the blow distance is maybe 44 mm/approximately.   Hammers on the wippen felts (tapping behind the balance rail makes no hammer movement, moving jack makes no hammer movement).   Aftertouch is plenty.   I thought about removing some wippen felt, but the hammers (especially in the tenor) are touching or nearly touching the backchecks.   There are brown marks on tenor hammers where they are impacting the backchecks.   So it seems the backchecks are too high...when I depress a key fully the backcheck is higher than the bottom of the tail, maybe 5 or 6 mm.   I can't regulate the blow distance to specs without removing wippen fellt and then the hammers will be on the backchecks.   This seems mostly in the tenor...but close through out...
 
I went ahead, temporarily and raised the capstans slightly so I could regulate wippen height, align jacks...most too far under the knuckle, just to see if I could improve the action response...a little better.
 
How would I lower the backchecks...seem like cowhide (brown rough leather)?   I remember a technique of using a drill press to push the backchecks farther down on the wire? 
Maybe new backchecks with good buckskin would be a good idea?   If new, should they be Steinway style...bigger?   The hammer tails might be longer than regular Steinway hammers?   
 
Thanks in advance for any advice...
 
David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA 94044
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