[pianotech] Gordon Laughead spinet with lifter wire issues

[Rob McCall]

Thanks for the great info! I'll take a look at these when I get home.  
I appreciate the help...

Rob

Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 4, 2010, at 6:08, "Ken & Pat Gerler"  
<kenneth.gerler at prodigy.net> wrote:

> Rob,
> I have tuned several G L, but consoles and studio.  As Tom said,  
> usually in a fork like that you have a rubber (neoprene) grommet  
> below the dowel. Apparently a previous tech switch out the rubber  
> (that was probably as hard as a rock and noisy) with the dowels you  
> noted.  Schaff had the rubber donut grommets (page 130, item # 3784)  
> or you could replace the wood dowel with the Square Rubber Grommets  
> (which have a nut in them) (page 130 #3785).
>
> Ken Gerler
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tom Driscoll" <tomtuner at verizon.net 
> >
> To: <pianotech at ptg.org>
> Sent: Friday, June 04, 2010 1:02 AM
> Subject: Re: [pianotech] Gordon Laughead spinet with lifter wire  
> issues
>
>
>>
>>   This type  of lifter wire is usually inserted into a hole at the  
>> back of the key and not into a fork as shown.  They still have a  
>> tendancy to pop out especially on a sharp blow but when inserted  
>> into a fork as you have here I can see why they won't stay put. The  
>> typical pickup wire for a key as shown has a nut and rubber  
>> (neoprene) grommet ..
>> I wonder if these were changed after manufacture  or it was a  
>> factory decision. It's possible a tech replaced the grommets when  
>> they went bad with this setup. I would see if a new grommet would  
>> fit into the fork and if so make the change.
>> Use care when adjusting these when they are tight. The wire will  
>> rotate and can break the whippen where the elbow is pinned.It's a  
>> bit awkward when the action is in but I grap the elbow with a  
>> parallel pliers under the keybed and turn the nut with the Schaff  
>> tool that looks like  # 3333 in the most recent catalog.
>> My first mentor , the late Paul Hegent of Sebring Fl. sold new  
>> Laugheads out of his shop but this was in 1973-4 not 61' .
>> Good luck,
>>
>> Tom D.