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<DIV><SPAN class=146024922-08032004><FONT face=Arial>Ran into an =
interesting
piano with many small challenges that turned a new-customer tuning call =
into an
all day affair. Care to take the quiz? I'll describe specific little =
problems,
you analyze (or guess) what the fix was. I actually like finding these =
quirky
little problems to diagnose and fix ... just not so durned many of =
them on
one call!</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=146024922-08032004><FONT =
face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=146024922-08032004><FONT face=Arial>The piano: A =
Carl Ronish
85-note upright of unknown age, a little bigger than a =
Hamilton
studio, smaller than a Baldwin 6000. Genuine ivories. Generally in =
not-so-bad
condition except the pinblock was VERY weak (no more than 20-25 in. =
lbs.).
There are no pin collars and the plate openings are BARELY larger than =
the pins
(#1's, I think). Someone already attempted to fix that problem by =
tapping in the
pins so I laid 'er over and pumped in the CA until it wouldn't take any =
more.
Pins now measure 30 to 80 in. lbs.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN
class=146024922-08032004><FONT face=Arial> The piano has an
ordinary-looking dowell-capstans action. Blow is about two inches, =
primarily due
to hammer wear. It needs new hammers or regulation, at least, but that =
is not
directly the cause of these woes ....</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=146024922-08032004><FONT =
face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=146024922-08032004><FONT face=Arial>Problem 1: Jack =
not
resetting on one key. Removed a lot of slop (lost motion) but that =
didn't fix
it. Centers NOT sluggish, rail bushings not binding, rail pin not =
turned, letoff
about right.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=146024922-08032004><FONT =
face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=146024922-08032004><FONT face=Arial>Problem 2: One =
key played
just great unless you played it while holding down it's immediate =
neighbor, then
both locked up and wouldn't reset. Hammers and wooden action parts are =
NOT
binding, not even touching.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=146024922-08032004><FONT =
face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=146024922-08032004><FONT face=Arial>Problems 3 =
& 4: Several
keys where low despite proper adjustment of whippen height (capstans), =
etc. This
piano has a thick wooden upstop rail (keystrip? prop rail?), =
separate
from the lid & nameboard assembly. When I removed this, the =
keys all
fell beautifully level--after I adjusted a few capstans so the =
hammers
actually rested on the rest rail. There were two reasons why the rail =
made a few
hammers two low: One involved a missing part, the other was due to
a little careless cosmetic work by someone.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=146024922-08032004></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=146024922-08032004><FONT face=Arial>Problem =
5: A few notes
(randomly located) went "thunk" when played and had a very short
sustain.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=146024922-08032004><FONT =
face=Arial></FONT></SPAN><SPAN
class=146024922-08032004></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=146024922-08032004><FONT face=Arial>Problem 6: One =
note played
perfectly well unless you struck it six or seven times and then it =
would
not play at all. A small adjustment with my thumb and forefinger =
put
everything right ... until you played the note a few times and it locked =
up
again. Etc. etc. ...</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=146024922-08032004><FONT =
face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=146024922-08032004><FONT face=Arial>Problem 7: =
Couple of
strings were very hard to tune: You'd bring them up to pitch, with =
difficulty,
but have trouble keeping them there even though pin torque is 60 in.
lbs. or better. There is a clue in the piano
description.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=146024922-08032004><FONT =
face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=146024922-08032004><FONT face=Arial>Problem 8: One =
note sounded
like the damper wasn't lifting at all (it was) and two of its neighbors =
made
buzzing, rattling sounds when played.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=146024922-08032004><FONT =
face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=146024922-08032004><FONT face=Arial>I'll =
post my
findings tomorrow night. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=146024922-08032004><FONT =
face=Arial></FONT></SPAN><SPAN
class=146024922-08032004><FONT face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=146024922-08032004><FONT face=Arial>And one more =
challenge:
What era do you think this piano is from? Clues: Ivory. Action has a =
number on
it (118397) that <EM>might</EM> be the piano serial (I could find no =
other
numbers) and was stamped with a company name (not Ronish) and the city =
name
Stutgart. Molded medallion on the plate has these words around its =
edge:
hof, piano, forte, fabrik, and a couple that were hard to
read.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN class=146024922-08032004> <FONT =
face=Arial>Two
pedals. Case is beautiful burled wood, possibly walnut. It is made of =
gentle
curves, not squared parts. Even the upper & lower panels have a =
gentle curve
built in. Customer has been given the impression that it is an =
"antique," I have
a different opinion. Whatayathink? Maybe somebody with more European =
piano
experience can help us, here.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=146024922-08032004><FONT =
face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>Alan R. =
Barnard</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>Salem, MO</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></BODY></HTML>
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