After 40+ years working on pianos I came across a first, for me, the other day. I'm sure many of you have worked on a Haines Bros. grand piano before but I had not. Customer wanted the piano tuned and G#4 was not working. So upon arrival I removed the keyslip then looked for cheekblock screws. None to be found. The action was screwed into the keybed across the front. OK. Got those removed. But there's no key cover or fallboard. Just a nameboard.
How to pull the action out? I looked underneath again for cheekblock screws. Then I noticed the keybed.
I reached under and grabbed the keyframe and pushed/pulled the action out. The nameboard is screwed to the sides of the cheekblocks and needs to be removed to remove keys if necessary.
Now to see why G#4 isn't playing. Then I saw this Caution sign and Instructions.
What springs are these instructions referring to? It would be these two located on the "whippen" and the jack. That crazy spring pushes up on the groove under the hammer flange and the normal looking spring pushed up on the toe of the jack.
The above picture is of G4. The crazy spring on G#4 was broken off at the jack. Can't order that from the supply house. I measured the spring wire. It was the same as my 12 1/2 piano wire. So I cut off a length of it and formed a new spring with needle nose pliers and forceps.
I used my center pin extracting pliers to remove the piece of broken spring from the jack and create a hole through which to insert it. Cleaned out the spring groove and retaining hole on the inside of the jack and glued the new one in place.
You see the new one here back in place.
And it's a bit of a trick to get the smaller spring under the jack toe when putting the whippen back in place. So if you ever run across one of these I hope this post might help you get through it. I can't wait till she calls back with another note not working. Merry Christmas one and all.
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Gary Bruce, RPT
Bruce Piano Service
Edmond, OK
405-413-TUNE
www.brucepiano.com------------------------------