<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1106" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: = #ffffff"> <DIV><SPAN class=510024500-18102004>Thanks for your response, Bob. = </SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=510024500-18102004>I've brought the 600 up to pitch = and will be fine-tuning it some time this week. So far it seems to have a really = nice tone to it! I'm taking your advice, and will be waiting a while to replace = the strings, although I *will* be doing so some time before spring, when I = will hopefully be moving into a house where I can actually have it as my = piano! Right now we're keeping it at the shop, which makes things a bit easier to = work on. </SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=510024500-18102004>The friction is everywhere, = really, but the keys are horrendously tight - it takes a two-handed effort to pull them = off the balance rail, and this isn't the first time I've encountered this in = older Kawai grands. I've discovered that lucky me - this 600 has turbo whippens and = real ivory keytops - apparently Kawai was one of the few piano makers who = used whole ivory keytops, so it wasn't immediately eye-catching! </SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=510024500-18102004>anyway, thanks again,</SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=510024500-18102004>ilex</SPAN></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px = solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org]<B>On = Behalf Of </B>BobDavis88@aol.com<BR><B>Sent:</B> Monday, October 04, 2004 2:50 AM<BR><B>To:</B> pianotech@ptg.org<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: first almost-rebuild/major fixup project!<BR><BR></FONT></DIV> <DIV>Ilex,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Congratulations. The Kawai 600 will make a nice piano. One = general piece of advice I have is to get to know the piano before doing anything to = it. Bring it to pitch, tune it, and play it for a while. I don't suppose = there's much reason to wait very long on the action work, but I'd wait on the = strings. Yes, eventually fix the bridges, but the deterioration you're seeing = will make almost no difference for now, except for the top section. Even there, = find out if the strings are causing wildness problems, and how much, so you can = hear when it gets better. Get to know the characteristics of your piano, = then the differences you make will be more instructive. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Before you ease keys, make friction measurements at all rubbing = or rotating points in the action, to make sure the friction is indeed in = the keys. If it is indeed in the keys, ease slightly with heat, or rebush. = Don't go squashing wholesale on the key mortices.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Wait on the strings.Get to know any weak spots in the scale. Get = the hammers in good shape, and the thirty-year-old strings will sound = better. I take care of a couple of 600's, and if memory serves, the plate is a = little soft, and they tend toward front duplex noise. Find out if I am right, = in case you want to do something about it at stringing time. The dampers will = probably serve, unless the spill got them, in which case you get to do two full = damper adjustments for practice - one now and one when you string. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Plates aren't that hard to take out, and permit access to scrape = and refinish the board properly. If you make reference marks = before the plate comes out, you can get it back exactly where it was, and = you won't disturb the downbearing. Borrow a Lowell gauge and see how much = bearing you have, just for information.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Enjoy.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Bob Davis</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>