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<DIV>
<DIV>In a message dated 8/31/2004 9:20:42 PM Pacific Standard Time,
hgreeley@stanford.edu writes:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><=
FONT
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000 size=
=2><BR>Hi,
Dale, <BR><BR>I'm having trouble posting to pianotech tonight. Would=
you
please forward this along?<BR><BR>Thanks very
much.<BR><BR>Best.<BR><BR>Horace<BR><BR><BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite">Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2004 20=
:20:40
-0700<BR>To: Pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org><BR>From: Horace Greeley=
<hgreeley@stanford.edu><BR>Subject: Re: Big hammers<BR><BR><BR>Hi,=
<BR><BR>At 07:10 PM 8/31/2004, you wrote:<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite">I guess I'm showing my
ignorance but what are you talking about? </BLOCKQUOTE><BR>I'm not sur=
e,
Avery. From the few that we can see, these actually look like pret=
ty
workable hammers, to me....I've certainly seen much, much worse in
day-to-day use on concert instruments in "name" venues.<BR><BR>Barb - I
would be more concerned about overall action geometry that the size of t=
he
hammers at this point. Those knuckles look a bit close to the flan=
ge
pin. Also, looking at the backchecks, this is a pre-'87 instrument=
(for _me_, this is a GOOD THING!...largely because of the significantly
larger range of regulation possible...long subject and I am not looking =
to
start a discussion)...being of that vintage, you are also going to want =
to
check not only action spread, but also deck height from the keybed to th=
e CP
of each of the whippen and hammer flanges. Try to carefully assess=
what was actually done at the factory, and what has been done since
then...looking especially to see if there has been a change in the mater=
ial
under the back rail cloth. Usually, this would have had a layer of=
red
key felt, often on top of one or (sometimes, but not often) two layers o=
f
what amounts to manila card stock (this latter usually dark brown in
color). Also, check to see when/if anyone has replaced the balance=
rail pivots; and/or the front rail (felt) punchings. etc.<BR><BR>I=
n
other words, before doing _anything_ try to get a very solid idea of wha=
t it
is you are looking at. Then, work backwards. As someone
(Andre? Isaac? sorry) noted, sometimes (even often) "just" a good,=
solid regulation will do more for tone and projection than even many
technicians will believe.<BR><BR>So, after all that, those look like S&a=
mp;S
hammers; and, from what little can be seen of them, they look as if they=
are
fairly well molded and shaped...so, look elsewhere before simply throwin=
g
them out and starting
elsewhere.<BR><BR>Best.<BR><BR>Horace<BR><BR><X-TAB> &n=
bsp; </X-TAB><X-TAB> &nb=
sp; </X-TAB><BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite">Avery <BR><BR>At 12:23 =
PM
8/31/04, you wrote:<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite">Jimminees Chrasmus...=
. look
at those knuckle cores... that HAD to be done willfully... .. or may=
be
its just the picture is a bit distorted...<BR>RicB<BR><BR><BR>Barbar=
a
Richmond wrote:<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite"><FONT size=2>Than=
ks for all
your wonderful suggestions, everyone!<BR></FONT> <BR><FONT
size=2>For your pleasure, I found this picture that I took of th=
e
action last spring. As you can see, it has some obvious
issues--like, when it was having trouble, nobody bothered to regul=
ate
it! :-) <BR></FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>Well=
, I'm
off to put some new casters on a church piano.
Later!<BR></FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>Barbara Richmond,
RPT<BR></FONT><BR><BR><BR>
<DIV align=center><IMG height=480 alt=496b58.jpg
src="cid:6.0.1.1.2.20040831202036.03d8e158@hgreeley.pobox.stanfo=
rd.edu.1"
width=640><BR></DIV><BR><BR><BR><BR><PRE>_______________________=
________________________
pianotech list info:
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ptg.org/mailman/listinfo/pianotech">http://www.ptg.org/mailman/listinfo/pian=
otech</A>
</PRE><FONT
face="Courier New, Courier"></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQU=
OTE></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>
<DIV>+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++</DIV>
<DIV>Horace Greeley</DIV>
<DIV>Systems Analyst/Engineer</DIV>
<DIV>Controller's Office</DIV>
<DIV>Stanford University</DIV><BR>
<DIV>651 Serra St., RM 100</DIV>
<DIV>Stanford, CA 94305</DIV><BR>
<DIV>voice:<X-TAB> </X-TAB>650.725.9062</DIV>
<DIV>fax:<X-TAB> </X-TAB>650.725.8014</DIV>
<DIV>++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++</DIV></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV>
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