Discussion Posts

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    I finally found my PTG password so I can post again. Correction on the copy/pasted message Alan sent earlier: I meant to say hammer hanging distance not hammer line! ------------------------------ Brad Fant, RPT Charlotte, NC ---------------------- ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    We work with two other rebuilders to offer everything. -Dean http://www.cybertuner.com http://www.reyburnengineering.com http://www.reyburnpianoworks.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/dean.reyburn

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    What I regard as being a standard flange spacing tool works fine on Bechsteins of this era. I think Fred and others are right in attributing changes to variations in felt size and this might even have an effect upon hammers also. Best wishes ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Hi Dean, Do you folks do actions only, or are you set up to do the whole kit-n-ka-boodle? Best, Alan ------------------------------ Alan Eder, RPT Herb Alpert School of Music California Institute of the Arts Valencia, CA 661.904.6483 -------- ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Hi Alan, Our shop can handle almost anything. Ohio is not too far for a signficant rebuild job, almost right next door. ------------------------------ Dean Reyburn, RPT Reyburn Pianoworks Reyburn CyberTuner 1-616-498-9854 dean@reyburn.com www.reyburnpianoworks.com ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    A Dampp-Chaser is unlikely to have any effect on the action or bridges, since it only affects the air right below the soundboard. I think that bridge expansion and contraction is more important in tuning instability and probably string height than the ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    James, Just for the record, I came up with the term "indexing pins", and have no idea if that is what they are actually called. FYI Alan ------------------------------ Alan Eder, RPT Herb Alpert School of Music California Institute of the Arts Valencia, ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Thanks for the response very useful info since I know what to call those pins "indexing pins" . This piano has a very fascinating history built in 1877 in Berlin and first owned by a LT . Eventually it came to SC and was in a furnished plantation style ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    James, I don't work on many Bechstein's, but I have some recommendations based on extensive experience regulating a variety of different makes of pianos. Second issue first: if hammers are missing left and right strings, I would back up and check ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Having problems with hammers blocking on an 1877 C Bechstein now that humidity is lower . Previously the piano was in a large church setting with good HVAC control and letoff was set in the piano with no blocking hammers. The piano is now in a classroom ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Here is a response that came to me privately (for "logistical" reasons) but that I have been given permission to share with the list for the benefit of others. Hi Alan, I hope you are doing well! I saw your post about looking for a rebuilder in ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Thanks for the leads, Carl and Patrick! Best, Alan ------------------------------ Alan Eder, RPT Herb Alpert School of Music California Institute of the Arts Valencia, CA 661.904.6483 ------------------------------

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Well I left Cleveland in 1979 so I don't have hot leads, but you might try contacting Bob Russell Jr. I think he's in the retirement zone now but I'm sure he knows who's the best in the area. ------------------------------ Patrick Draine RPT Billerica ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Have them talk with and send it to Dean Reyburn. He can optimize it. Sent from my iPad CarlPianoTech.com

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Greetings, A client has family in Cleveland (too far a commute, even for me!). They have a 1984 Steinway B and would like to optimize it. Looking for either a high-quality field technician and/or a rebuilder in the area with a good working knowledge ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    I had a man sister in a steel piece underneath the pedal, weld the two broken pieces together, and then drill the holes. It was a lasting repair. Warm Regards, Peter Acronico, RPT (408) 838-2559

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    That was a bad day! 👎 Peter Grey Piano Doctor ------------------------------ Peter Grey Stratham NH (603) 686-2395 pianodoctor57@gmail.com ------------------------------ ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    I've had them braced with success. The one couple tried moving a continental Yamaha and snapped all the pedals when it fell forward. Broke his leg too. ------------------------------ Les Koltvedt Macomb MI lkpianos@gmail.com ---------------------- ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Thank you! This is exactly what I needed to know. I will pass it along to the person needing it. Peter Grey Piano Doctor ------------------------------ Peter Grey Stratham NH (603) 686-2395 pianodoctor57@gmail.com --------------------------- ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Hi Peter, Yes I have brazed pedals back together many times. And depending on where the break is, you can lay in a reinforcing piece of metal on the underside to back up your weld. Brazing is joining a broken piece together using bronze welding rod. ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    As far as I know the preferred repair is brazing. ------------------------------ Blaine Hebert RPT Duarte CA (626) 390-0512 ------------------------------

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Bump! Next aural tuning Q&A is tomorrow instead of the last Thursday to avoid Christmas. It's on YouTube at 8PM eastern time. Here is my link with the info: https://youtube.com/shorts/26WoZTaaIO4?si=_mNF_t3pE6Eqqv1v My aural tuning Q&A ...

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    Broken pedal weld

    Posted in: Pianotech

    Has anyone successfully welded a broken cast iron pedal from a pre-1900 upright? Moving damage...snapped right off. Peter Grey Piano Doctor ------------------------------ Peter Grey Stratham NH (603) 686-2395 pianodoctor57@gmail.com --------- ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Tim, I did one of these also...Steinway upright 54" tall. Peter Grey Piano Doctor ------------------------------ Peter Grey Stratham NH (603) 686-2395 pianodoctor57@gmail.com ------------------------------

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Hello John, this is very kind of you, I would love to chat on the phone sometime. ------------------------------ Tim Foster RPT New Oxford PA (470) 231-6074 ------------------------------

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    I have installed a new WNG vertical top action and was very pleased with the results. First time learning curve is steep. You will need to bend damper wires and install damper heads & felts, plus regulate dampers. Hammers can be ordered pre-glued to shanks; ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    It's the means by which harpists and other instrumentalists can put their finger on a node where the string doesn't vibrate to allow the harmonics with a node at that point to sound. This is why dampers have to be long enough to span nodes of different ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Here's my understanding of the node issue. This information comes from several senior technicians and engineers who've studied this issue much more thoroughly than I have. Essentially what happens is that there is a slight error in how the plate ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    > sounds to me like a node problem... ...due to how the plates are manufactured Can you explain that? Do you mean the damper is touching the string at a node that doesn't allow dampening of that frequency, or that the piano is resonating that frequency, ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    > did you mark the notes correctly. From B2 to D#4? Or should that be D#3 I meant B3-D#4 and have put that in the original post. I'm sure D#4 was the worst one. So, I have a piano here that rings much the same way. B3, 6th and 9th partials ring ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Hi Jonathan, It could be a damper issue, as others have pointed out, but it sounds to me like a node problem. Certain pianos, especially Bostons (also built by Kawai), have this issue due to how the plates are manufactured. The only way I've found ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Yes. Good suggestion, and it's the last thing I thought of before giving up for the day. ------------------------------ Jonathan Saunders Bartlett TN (901) 499-8589 ------------------------------

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    I damped the high strings to make sure it wasn't them, but didn't check anything else. The ringing 6th partial beats when tweaking the strings of D#4, or doesn't beat when I get them beatless. And pulling the damper back and letting it hit the strings ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Jonathan, First, did you mark the notes correctly. From B2 to D#4? Or should that be D#3? That would be more common. As others have said, check the free play in the pedal, and push on the strings to be sure the dampers follow the ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    > First, if you press on the strings, do the dampers move along with the strings? I didn't press the strings to see if the damper moved. The damper sure looked and felt like it presses the strings. When I pull the damper back and let it go, it slams ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    I'm assuming that you have made sure that the action brackets are fastened tightly to the plate? ------------------------------ Tim Foster RPT New Oxford PA (470) 231-6074 ------------------------------

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    FYI, if you do contact Kawai, they are making changes to their service system. Below is an email I received from them a week or so ago. Also, I should think that this is a warrantee job. Hello, I want to let you know about an important update coming ...

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    WNG upright actions

    Posted in: Pianotech

    Hello, Next year is looking like the year of upright shop work for me, likely one full rebuild and multiple partial rebuilds. While I'm getting very familiar with WNG action parts for grand pianos, I've not yet replaced upright action parts with WNG, ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    I have found that, typically the ringing is from another string. With clean hands press on sections of the strings and see if you can find the loose damper (often in the bass) and tweak that one. ------------------------------ Blaine Hebert RPT Duarte ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Hi Jonathan: Two thoughts. First, if you press on the strings, do the dampers move along with the strings? That would confirm if the dampers are pressing on the strings. Check the damper pedal to see if it's got enough free play when it's not being ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Hi. Today, a Kawai K-15E, new this year... on several notes B2-D#4 when the damper came back to rest on the strings, the 6th partial would continue to ring for a bit while the rest of the tone was damped pretty immediately. Damper regulation looks good. ...

  • Posted in: CAUT

    https://pianocovers.net/. Formerly Covers By Jill. Been around since forever. Mostly for commercial venues, schools, etc. Former cover maker for Apsco, Alicia. jhasting710@gmail.com. See her ad in the Journal classifieds. I have seen some covers ...

  • Posted in: CAUT

    Clark Dawson (941) 809-6129 ------------------------------ Garret Traylor Trinity NC (336) 887-4266 ------------------------------

  • Posted in: CAUT

    Anyone no of a source for a SD-10 String Cover? ------------------------------ Parker Leigh RPT Winchester VA (540) 722-3865 ------------------------------

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    I would relocate the sensor since you want to know what is going on in the immediate location the piano is in. You could be picking up variations due to proximity of the sensor to the water tank and the heater bars. the humidistat toggles between dehumidification ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    I wonder if split shots could be adapted to your needs. Below is a chart of the approximate diameters of split shots. They'd be cheap and malable via hammer or pressing with pliers. Approximate diameters by common split shot size (metric and imperial ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Steinway & Sons EMEA refers to the European, Middle Eastern, and African operations of S&S. Zimmermann based in Hamburg. ------------------------------ Steven Rosenthal RPT Honolulu HI (808) 521-7129 ------------------------------

  • Posted in: Pianotech
  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Thanks, Norman. I can always count on you for simple yet ingenious solutions. ------------------------------ Dave Conte, RPT Piano Technician in Residence The University of Tennessee College of Music Knoxville TN (817) 307-5656 Owner: Rocky Top Piano ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Another way to make your own if you only need a few is to clamp two pieces of wood together in the drill press vice and drill a hole centered on the seam of the drsired diameter. Get some lead and melt it and pour it into the hole you drilled. Let it ...