<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD><TITLE>Re: Mason & Hamlin upright</TITLE> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <STYLE type=text/css>BLOCKQUOTE { PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px } DL { PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px } UL { PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px } OL { PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px } LI { PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px } </STYLE> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1400" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><SPAN class=931310218-08032004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff = size=2>I guess I'll again will give the impression of a very frustrated guy, but :</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=931310218-08032004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff = size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=931310218-08032004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff = size=2>a : these spring add a springy feel at the end of the stroke, so the = pianist tend to play a tad stronger to override that sensation, then he produce = less dynamic range.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=931310218-08032004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff = size=2>b : they eventually are getting you in trouble against checking and = hammer coming back at rest</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=931310218-08032004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff = size=2>c : then its easy, you regulate the rail so the springs don't act anymore = but then :</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=931310218-08032004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff = size=2>d : the added mass they provide on the jack is slowing the jack - for the = kind , U shaped I refer to.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=931310218-08032004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff = size=2>d : the only remaining solution is to get them out.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=931310218-08032004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff = size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=931310218-08032004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff = size=2>I am unsure as I did not seem much of them recently on Seiler, Saunter, = Pleyel, but a locas piano shop in Paris is providing them and have a patent on a U = shaped spring they install as an option with a dab of glue on the vertical part = of the jacks, and this model I see regularly and find it is useless anyway.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=931310218-08032004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff = size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=931310218-08032004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff = size=2>I am unsure that I have seen others that where installed on a rail and = pushing on a felt located on the jack, but, even if the sensation look pleasing at = first, after farther analysis one realize that there are too many drawbacks to = the slight faster jacks return they provide - mostly the touch change the = dynamic properties of the instrument too much.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=931310218-08032004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff = size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=931310218-08032004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff = size=2>Well another take by </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=931310218-08032004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff = size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=931310218-08032004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff = size=2>Isaac OLEG (TM)</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=931310218-08032004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff = size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=931310218-08032004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff = size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT = face=Tahoma size=2>-----Message d'origine-----<BR><B>De :</B> = pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org]<B>De la part de</B> Keith Roberts<BR><B>Envoyé :</B> dimanche 7 mars 2004 = 19:37<BR><B>À :</B> Pianotech<BR><B>Objet :</B> Re: Mason & Hamlin upright<BR><BR></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Georgia size=2>I'll be working on it = again towards the end of the week. I can take pictures and will see if I can't get them posted = soon thereafter. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Georgia size=2>Basically it looks like a miniature = of the flat steel spring used on the pedal trapwork. An eyeglass size screw and pin = fastens it to about the middle of the jack. There is a 1/4 inch thick piece of = felt glued on the back of the catcher covering the hole the bridle strap = comes through. As the jack trips out at let off, the spring pushes against = that felt on the catcher and forces the hammer back towards the strings. There is = a slight backwards wink of the hammer before the hammer goes forward. It is = my feeling that the amount of wink should be the same and it should be = sufficient enough to achieve a proper checking distance. In this case I think the = checking distance should be 1/2 inch because the spring adds to the acceleration = on repetitive blows but any less distance weakens the force of the blow too = much. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Georgia size=2>As I write this I'm getting the = feeling I want to mess with the thickness of the felt instead of the spring or I'll = end up with one of those actions with all those pieces removed. (broken). Is it = worth it? When this action is working at it's optimum, it probably performs = quite well. If I am not going to bring it back to spec I can see a possibility = that hammers could block as regulation goes out. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Georgia size=2>Does anybody know any different from = what I'm assuming here? Checking distance, etc.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Georgia size=2>Keith Roberts</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=kam544@gbronline.com = href="mailto:kam544@gbronline.com">Keith McGavern</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, March 07, 2004 = 7:58 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Mason & Hamlin = upright</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV>At 11:08 PM -0800 3/6/04, Keith Roberts wrote:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE cite="" type="cite"><FONT face=Georgia>I'm working = on one of those  M&H uprights with those flat brass springs between = the jack and the hammer butt catcher. Is there an adjustment for those? ...</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV>Keith,</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV>Any chance you could get a pic of that device? I don't recall = ever seeing that arrangement.</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV>Keith</DIV><X-SIGSEP><PRE>-- </PRE></X-SIGSEP> <DIV><FONT color=#000000>Keith = McGavern          <SPAN= ></SPAN>          &nbsp= ;<SPAN></SPAN>         &nbsp= ; <SPAN></SPAN>    Texas State Association</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000>Registered Piano = Technician         <SPAN></S= PAN>        SOONER SPRING SEMINAR</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000>Oklahoma Chapter = 731           <SPA= N></SPAN>          &nbs= p;<SPAN></SPAN>      March 11-14, 2004</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000>Piano Technicians = Guild          <SPAN></= SPAN>           <S= PAN></SPAN>   http://www.ptg.org/tsa/</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000>USA</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT = color=#000000><BR></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>