Discussion Posts

Thank you, David. I appreciate the reminder. ------------------------------ Elisha Katamura RPT Katamura Piano Service Fresno, CA (559)765-7373 https://www.katamurapianoservice.com/ ------------------------------

I've done that too and you can also just use a thin dowel. A drop of thin CA glue helps secure it. The tool that Renner sells is a little more robust in terms of the set screw. I use that one. I've never had a problem. It has a nice handle too. ...

Thanks so much for this, but 85 note instruments really are feeling taking discrimination to heart :-( Is there going to be an Imperial Day in 10 days time? Best wishes David P -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ...

Keep thinking we need a "like" button on this platform. Thanks for the morning smile! Melanie Brooks Brooks LTD LLC 152 Rte 163 Bldg A Uncasville, CT 06382 800-326-2440

I honestly don't see the need to raise my rates based on the price of gas. I drive a Corolla Hybrid. I get 53.6 miles to the gallon. Tax deductible business mileage for 2026 is 0.725/mile. That means for every business gallon of gas I use I'm able to ...

Appreciate everyone's insights here. As self-employed technicians, fuel is only a small part of our true costs. Unpaid vacation and sick time, retirement, insurance, taxes (sole prop or S-corp), tools, and vehicle expenses all have to be built into our ...

😀 ------------------------------ Elisha Katamura RPT Katamura Piano Service Fresno, CA (559)765-7373 https://www.katamurapianoservice.com/ ------------------------------ ...

It's a real thing. And long overdue. Look for TASK ( Technicians for Alternatively Sized Keyboards) on Facebook. ddf ------------------------------ [Delwin D] Fandrich] [RPT] [Piano Design & Manufacturing Consultant] [Fandrich Piano Co., Inc.] ...

Sorry. I know humor is discouraged here but I don't know where else to put this. March 29 is the 88th day of the year... From The Marx Bros. movie, "The Big Store". https://youtu.be/pbUrsot6oeY It's OK to smile. 😀 ...

Who works in an institution with a in a 6.0 ecosystem? I've got questions about lots of things I didn't anticipate when keys became narrower. Send me a text if you have time to share some insights! ------------------------------ Vincent ...

I don't think gas is a major expense for our type of service. My last gas car got 28Hwy/17city (bad, I know) and at 20k miles per year, that was roughly 1000 gallons of gas per year. An increase of $1/gal is $1000/yr. That car cost me $8200/yr in ...

I have been frustrated with this tool because it’s so easy to shear either the allen wrench or screw head, or lose the wrench. I highly recommend a homemade version made with a wooden (not bamboo) chopstick. Hold a needle with pliers and make a ...

Drill a hole through a block of wood that will then hold the tool snugly and then with the tool inserted, rap the block of wood on a hard surface. Should dislodge it. A reminder these tools are not meant for heavy voicing duty. ------------------------------ ...

The video I'm linking to here is what prompted me to suggest trying a strong magnet. Not particularly piano-related, but cool in its own right. I didn't know magnets this strong were available. https://youtu.be/ueCO4spGNPs?si=DFvZE1kpPzDgARkS ------------------------------ ...

I found similar pin vice on Amazon. I might have something similar somewhere in my shop.. Thanks for the recommendation, Geoff. ------------------------------ Elisha Katamura RPT Katamura Piano Service Fresno, CA (559)765-7373 https://www.katamurapianoservice.com/ ...

Reading through this thread I am reminded of the Flugelbauer voicing kit I purchased back in the days when you could still purchase tools and supplies at conventions and conferences. The kit was great. And I say was because once I started experiencing ...

I’ve had success with a few sharp raps on the edge of a table with the tool, needle side down. Good luck. John Minor

Perhaps this should be a warning to us all to occasionally change out our old Hart tool needles to prevent fatigue breaks. Mine are old enough and well used enough to probably need to be changed. ------------------------------ Blaine Hebert RPT Duarte ...

I would think that sticking the tool in the freezer for a while might do the trick (the brass will shrink, thus increasing the bore of the needle hole, and shrinking the needle diameter), and then smack it a few times with a hammer on the opposite end. ...

Thank you, Paul. As mentioned earlier, the set screw is fully removed, yet the broken needle remains stuck. I should probably switch to other needle voicing options. ------------------------------ Elisha Katamura RPT Katamura Piano Service Fresno, ...

Ah! So you have the wrench! That was not clear to me. But it's very helpful, since I lost mine. 0.9mm should be the size of the wrench that I lost. Thank you for your help. I wish I could be of more help to you, and after I get my replacement wrench, ...

Measuring the mini allen wrench. 0.035" is 0.889 mm. ------------------------------ Elisha Katamura RPT Katamura Piano Service Fresno, CA (559)765-7373 https://www.katamurapianoservice.com/ ------------------------------

What are you measuring? The needle diameter? Will your micrometer measure the interior diameter of the socket into which the Allen wrench has to fit? My guess is that it's .7 or .9 mm, definitely less than 1 mm. I've ordered a $7 set from Amazon that ...

I'd like to avoid anything permanent, such as removing material, and keep that as a last resort. ------------------------------ Elisha Katamura RPT Katamura Piano Service Fresno, CA (559)765-7373 https://www.katamurapianoservice.com/ -------------- ...

Thanks all. So far nothing works. I even tried the tooth brush, "Deep Cleaning" setting. I don't know exact size of the allen wrench, but my micrometer reading says 0.035" and it looks like it. ------------------------------ Elisha Katamura RPT ...

There is another version of this tool, and it's cheaper. Here it is: https://www.howardpianoindustries.com/single-needle-piano-voicing-tool/. The allen wrench for removing the needle is held in a plastic cap that sits on the end of the brass rod. You ...

I Google'd heating a brass rod. It will enlarge the hole. The example given was, just like enlarging a photo, everything gets bigger. Worth a try. ------------------------------ Paul McCloud, RPT Accutone Piano Service www.AccutonePianoService.com ...

Would a strong rare earth magnet be of any use in extracting the needle? It helps that the tool is non -ferrous. ------------------------------ Floyd Gadd RPT Regina SK (306) 502-9103 ------------------------------

I also have a recently broken needle, and lost my miniature Allen wrench. Does anyone know what size it is? Paul Larudee, RPT San Francisco Chapter

Peter, I have not as yet found a roommate. You're the first respondent. If you're a non-smoker I'd gladly share the room with you. I haven't made the reservation yet, but I can, or you can. Whaddaya think?

John, Have you as yet secured a roommate? Peter Grey Piano Doctor ------------------------------ Peter Grey Stratham NH (603) 686-2395 pianodoctor57@gmail.com ------------------------------

I think that other thread was for a different tool in which the needle is CA glued in. You might try a magnet or compressed air in the set screw hole, glad I haven't run into that, yet. (I think cooling rather than heating it will make the hole bigger, ...

I believe this very topic was very recently discussed. You might try the archives to find it. I don't have experience with the problem myself. I would try heating up the brass rod and tapping the end on a hard surface to maybe dislodge the needle. ...

Hi all, I've been putting this off for far too long. I've broken needles in my Hart Voicing Tool a few times, and since I had multiple tools (thanks to retired techs…), I kept switching to another instead of fixing the problem. Today I finally broke ...

I am aware of two elongated Steinway cases: the XR and the OR. I believe that these are the M and O scales respectively. There may be other elongated cases as well, to allow for the DuoArt mechanism and elongated keys. Using the palates as a guide ...

Hi Summer! I'm interested. I'll text you! ------------------------------ Katie Lentz Erie PA ------------------------------

Thank you everyone! Daniel, thank you for the info and confirming that the extended case doesn't alter scaling- that was my primary concern since I wouldn't know where to find the scaling info on a non-standard model. ------------------------------ ...

Ok but that's incorrect terminology. A bi-chord means two "chords" or strings. A mono-chord, one string, a tri-chord, three strings. In the bass, the M has 10 mono-chords and 16 wrapped bi-bichords. There are two wrapped bi-chords at the bottom of the ...

David. I guess there is a difference of interpretation. To me 4 bichords equal two notes. Wim Sent from my iPhone

Hi All! For anyone interested, my aural tuning Q&A Livestream is tomorrow morning at 8AM on YouTube. Here is my home page: https://www.youtube.com/@PianoTechMaggie/ Here is the Livestream page: https://www.youtube.com/@PianoTechMaggie/streams ...

Two tenor bichords plain wire #19 - 4 (unisons) #18 - 2 #17 - 12 #16.5 - 6 #16 - 5 #15.5 - 6 #15 - 6 #14.5 - 5 #14 - 4 #13.5 - 4 #13 - 6 ------------------------------ David Love RPT www.davidlovepianos.com davidlovepianos@comcast.net ...

No that's not correct. The M has two bi chords in the tenor, the S has four, the A has five, the O,L, B and D have none. You can easily tell the models apart by that alone. the notable difference between the model L and the model O is in the shape of ...

Two tenor bichords says model M. Proper scale is readily available from Steinway and many other sources. Sent from my iPhone

Sorry Dave, I wish I could help you but I must have re-used the T-handle on something already. ------------------------------ Wesley Owen RPT Evanston IL (847) 257-5554 ------------------------------

Steve, Well, considering the difference between your general climate scenario and mine, these do what every other piano around here does, even with a PLSS. But, in my typical OCD for improving stuff (if possible or practical), I would characterize ...

Peter, I tune 11 of these pianos annually for a group of churches on the island. They are all KG-2 C,D,or E. I've always wondered if the letters at the end are different scale designations. For tuning purposes I've sampled each letter designation separately. ...

Hi Tim, My favorite method to identify a Steinway really quickly is to count the plate web cooling holes. Unless the piano has 4, you hardly need to look at anything else. S-5 M-6 O,L, A -4 B -5 D-8 This piano has 6, which ...

that would be a M scale. (4 bichords in the treble)

If you can supply the speaking lengths in millimeters, your chance of getting really valuable help goes way up. ------------------------------ Floyd Gadd RPT Regina SK (306) 502-9103 ------------------------------

Hello, I have an old S&S in the shop for partial restoration for a school. It was previously a player, so I'm not exactly sure how the model works with these. Perhaps an L (see pics)? The old rusty strings are not original, as I found the pinblock was ...