<!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 6.00.2800.1400" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: = #ffffff" bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Verdana>Thanks all for your rich set of responses. = Meanwhile, please, I need your reaction to this:</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Verdana></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Verdana>I have tuned the piano a couple of times, = filed the godawful hammers, and done a quick regulation. During this, I = pointed out to client the lack of jack regulating screws. He then discussed this = with a pianist friend from New York, who sent this remark:</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Verdana></FONT> </DIV> <DIV>"The knuckles (felt covered with buckskin) on the hammershank are = probably misshapen or compressed also. I am sure that the little jack felts could = be replaced, but it would be a lot of work and I don't know how final = adjustments are made. Everybody in NYC area replaces the whole action on pianos that = vintage, and when that works the piano can be dreamy to play. It often = does not work out quite that well unfortunately - over the years Steinway used at = least seven different sets of dimensions for their parts - varying here and = there by a millimeter or so - and there are also many sizes of new parts, so it = takes a bit of experimentation to get it right. A lot of technicians don't even come = close; I have seen many new actions that were just too heavy to play. Yesterday = Reinhard was trying to get a 1888 B to play that had just been rebuilt = at the Steinway factory . They had sent it back to the owner with a new action = that was around 75 grams instead of 48. Unplayable. He was trying to improve it = with key leads - Steinway had randomly removed a bunch, so one key was 80 grams = and the very next maybe 55. They also had used new Steinway whippens which had a = flat heel which did not match AT ALL the angled capstan in the key, so that = added to the fucked up feel. Piano keys, and all the action parts move in slight = arcs. The original Steinway parts accommodated that for perfect power = transfer. Along the way Steinway seem to have forgotten that, so new pianos and parts = are manufactured thinking that keys and action parts go straight up and = down, no pivoting, no arcs."</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Verdana></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Verdana></FONT><FONT face=Verdana></FONT> <DIV><FONT face=Verdana>But Dale says "The Stwy factory wippen is a = great part & it fits every piano they ever made without having to change buttons". I'd wager that Dale knows a thing or two more than this = pianist, but there must be some underlying facts to account for the = pianist's opinion. Thoughts?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Verdana></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Verdana>Meanwhile I will certainly get the Renner kit, = look up Ed McMorrow, and study a bit about action geometry. The client doesn't = want to do the major work just yet, and is delighted with the improvements I = have made ... "The piano sounds beautiful after your work, much more even, less = harsh, and the action is much, much smoother and lighter. I've been making = some notes about some slight variations in voicing, but overall it's a huge improvement."<BR></FONT></DIV></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=Erwinspiano@aol.com href="mailto:Erwinspiano@aol.com">Erwinspiano@aol.com</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, May 01, 2004 = 8:20 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: 1906 Stwy = wippens</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Verdana></FONT><BR></DIV> <DIV> <DIV>In a message dated 4/30/2004 7:31:07 PM Pacific Standard Time, <A = href="mailto:jkanter@rollingball.com">jkanter@rollingball.com</A> writes:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px = solid"> <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=mailto:jkanter@rollingball.com href="mailto:jkanter@rollingball.com">jason kanter</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=mailto:pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, April 30, = 2004 9:33 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> 1906 Stwy = wippens</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Verdana></FONT><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2>Client has a beautiful 1906 = Steinway B. It will need new hammers and shanks (misshapen knuckles). The wippens = have moth damage, and they are the old jack style that had no jack = positioning screw. The capstans are set at an angle. Will new wippens fit this = old action? Or should I refurb the old wippens?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2>Jason</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> = <DIV>            Jason</DIV> <DIV>   The Stwy factory wippen is a great part & it = fits every piano they ever made withoput having to change buttons</DIV> <DIV>   DAle</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>