Discussion Posts

  • Profile Picture

    RE: Schaff Supply

    Posted in: CAUT

    I got through by phone, and was able to get things straightened out. At first, the version of their home page that was stored in my computer's cache came up, and clicking on the webstore link took me nowhere. I can no longer bring that page up to ...

  • Profile Picture

    RE: Schaff Supply

    Posted in: CAUT

    They've recently sent emails about their "new website" and how to access it. I had to change my password... Teri

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Summer -- I think that questioning Verituner over your instructor is not going to be the best path moving forward. If you plan on taking the RPT Tuning Exam, and I recommend you do, then you need to meet the requirements for that exam, which may be ...

  • Posted in: CAUT

    Sounds quite interesting. I have been examining and documenting an 1822/1823 Alpheus Babcock built for G D McKay and now in a museum in South Carolina. It is quite intact except that the keyframe at the top end is missing after key # 56. I believe it ...

  • Profile Picture

    RE: Schaff Supply

    Posted in: CAUT

    When I just tried the web site, there was no link to the 'Web store.' www.schaffpiano.com takes me to a new home page that allowed me to search for an view catalog items, including quantity in stock. There are no prices, and not ability to place orders ...

  • Profile Picture

    RE: Schaff Supply

    Posted in: CAUT

    The rollout of their newly updated website was very buggy. It seems to be functioning now. I did the change of password when it was still buggy. When I went to the website and clicked on the web store link it led to an error message and no ability ...

  • Profile Picture

    RE: Schaff Supply

    Posted in: CAUT

    Interesting... A couple days ago I got an e-mail from < nlmailer@notification.netsuite.com > welcoming me to Schaff Piano Supply (I have been a Schaff client since 1986). Inside it looked like the Schaff website, and there was a message instructing ...

  • Profile Picture

    Schaff Supply

    Posted in: CAUT

    HI- Does anyone know what is going on with Schaff Piano right now? The website store is shut down and does not work, no one answers the phone and they are not returning messages. I've been trying to place an order for a week now. thanks, ...

  • Profile Picture

    RE: Verituner settings

    Posted in: Pianotech

    Hi Summer, The Verituner is a very flexible app when it comes to setting the tuning parameters. From what the develper hears back from techs is that most never "look under the hood" and use anything other than the default settings. Short answer to ...

  • Profile Picture

    RE: Fantastic!

    Posted in: Pianotech

    The pin that came out is usually a 20 1/2. I replace with the same size. If you can push the pin through the Birds Eye, it’s too loose. If the pin sticks in the hole, that’s perfect. If the pin won’t stay by itself in the Birds Eye, it’s too big. Then ...

  • Profile Picture

    RE: Fantastic!

    Posted in: Pianotech

    What pin size do you end up with? you start with a 20? and go to a 21 1/2.? Any larger and you resize the birdseye. Of course with the verdigre, the pin might be rotating in the birdseye and it's already sized On Wed, May 6, 2026 at 1:49 PM Keith ...

  • Profile Picture

    RE: Fantastic!

    Posted in: Pianotech

    Ok, I was wrong. This piano is a 1929 M they got it I had used protek last fall right after The school is a non profit. I mentioned replacing parts to the owner and his volunteer help. Mr B said something about getting a grant,,, Then he asked ...

  • Profile Picture

    RE: Fantastic!

    Posted in: Pianotech

    For vertigris, I punch the pin out, use my 25 watt soldering iron that has a very small pencil point filed slightly so it is not tapered, insert that into the bushing for one second. The vertigris turns to liquid and then gas in a puff of white smoke. ...

  • Profile Picture

    RE: Fantastic!

    Posted in: Pianotech

    My method is to replace all verdigris affected parts with new. I have experimented with ammonia and it does neutralize all of the acids, but it also destroys any glue joints and bushings. Fantastic contains an ammonia compound, and seems to work, but ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Not necessarily. By using the checks, provided the temperament octave was set right, the checks will automatically stretch the octaves for the piano. Sent from my iPhone

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Hi summer, I suggest you try out the stretch settings devised by Kent Swafford, based on the P12 temperament. You'll find it in the Verituner forums if it isn't a pre-loaded option. ------------------------------ Patrick Draine RPT Billerica MA (978) ...

  • Profile Picture

    PTG editor email

    Posted in: Pianotech

    To our authors or others who need to contact the Journal staff: We're still experiencing issues with our email system, especially bounced emails from editor@ptg.org. If you need to contact me and your message is bounced back, please feel free to use ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Wim, Progressive 3rds/10ths/6ths are fine, but they don't determine the size of the octaves, right? Isn't octave size the issue? ------------------------------ Scott Cole, RPT rvpianotuner.com Talent, OR (541-601-9033 ------------------------- ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Summer As a way to get you to tune aurally, but still rely on your Verituner, here is what will help. First, tune the bass with the ETD. Then listen to a 10th, starting with the 3 rd note above the break, and the 10 th above that. (E3 - G#4) ...

  • Profile Picture

    RE: Fantastic!

    Posted in: Pianotech

    That is Randall's method,,Dave. I would like some guidance also. I would think you heat the pin while still in the bushings. Do you turn the flange sideways, set it on something metal and press the iron onto the pin? How long and what watt iron? I ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    There are various styles of tuning bass and I'm not sure that strict harmonic matching is the way to go. Whilst I've found a target that my CTS5 tuner can follow reliably I have played octaves and listened not for any one harmonic match in particular ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    I will preface this by saying - yes, I eventually will tune aurally, but right now, verituner is how I get the job done. During some tuning instruction I've had, it was pointed out to me that while Verituner does a pretty good job in the midsection ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Dear Colleagues It's appropriate to express great thanks to Steven Norsworthy whose {adverbs or adjectives here} caused me to think, research and listen more with the result of putting more refinement into my tuning results. In particular I've come ...

  • Profile Picture

    RE: Fantastic!

    Posted in: Pianotech

    Blaine, is your method published anywhere? I'd like to try it out. -- Dave Conte, RPT, CCT Owner, Rocky Top Piano Knoxville, TN 817-307-5656 dave@daveconte.com www.RockyTopPiano.com

  • Profile Picture

    RE: Fantastic!

    Posted in: Pianotech

    I use a soldering iron technique to steam out the verdigris, ream and repin. I’ve taught it at conventions. It works instantly and it is permanent - especially useful when there isn’t time or money to install new parts. Chemicals are only temporary.

  • I've got a room with a king, but I'll switch it to 2 beds if someone wants to split it. Prefer chill, study and sleep environment. ------------------------------ Joel Gamble Eastsound WA (425) 773-2961 ------------------------------

  • Profile Picture

    RE: Baldwin SD-10

    Posted in: CAUT

    I have been studying the patent of 1966 # 3,477,331. I believe that improvements can be made in choice of materials. Stainless steel would bring better focus to the partials. ------------------------------ Parker Leigh RPT Winchester VA (540) 722-3865 ...

  • Profile Picture

    RE: Fantastic!

    Posted in: Pianotech

    The April 2022 Journal has a study done by the Connecticut chapter on the use of fantastik. The correct spelling for the product has the letter k at the end. A couple drops will do it. And yes it works fantastic. Doug Mahard

  • Profile Picture

    RE: Fantastic!

    Posted in: Pianotech

    My personal piano, a 1917 O, had bad verdigris when it was gifted to me. I used a syringe with Fantastik in all the flanges and the results were perfect. It's been almost a year; we'll see if I'm repinning 88 hammer flanges this time next year. So far ...

  • Posted in: CAUT

    Hi all, The Cornell Center for Historical Keyboards will be having its third fortepiano tech academy this June 26-28, here is the information and a link to registration. Ken Walkup

  • Profile Picture

    RE: Baldwin SD-10

    Posted in: CAUT

    We restrung an SF-10 a couple years ago, which had individual duplex pieces that that screw into the plate. There are two sizes, I think just chosen so that they are NOT in tune with the speaking length. For this piano, I epoxied a small pieces of brass ...

  • Profile Picture

    RE: Baldwin SD-10

    Posted in: CAUT

    Looking to improve tuning in treble area of piano. ------------------------------ Parker Leigh RPT Winchester VA (540) 722-3865 ------------------------------

  • Profile Picture

    RE: Fantastic!

    Posted in: Pianotech

    Here is one of my images of a Steinway hammer flange with verdigris. Not the saturated wood and coating of gummy verdigris. ------------------------------ Blaine Hebert RPT Duarte CA (626) 390-0512 ------------------------------

  • Posted in: CAUT

    Ron Nossaman once described doing a modification on a Baldwin SD-10 where he shortened the front duplex to about 10 mm , and said it "worked great." In the same thread, the SD-10 he worked on had three bearing points in the top two sections , and ...

  • Profile Picture

    RE: Fantastic!

    Posted in: Pianotech

    Hey Fenton, How are you? Maybe I should chase the fantastic with protex or John Page's CBL? Keith

  • Profile Picture

    RE: Baldwin SD-10

    Posted in: CAUT

    I am looking for eng data for a 1968 vintage SD-10 as to proper installation and tuning of these bars. ------------------------------ Parker Leigh RPT Winchester VA (540) 722-3865 ------------------------------

  • Profile Picture

    RE: Fantastic!

    Posted in: Pianotech

    I had favorable results with fantastic for about a year and a half, then the friction began coming back Sent from my iPhone, please excuse typos, etc. Fenton Murray, RPT Cell 831-320-7042

  • Posted in: CAUT

    Parker, Are you actually wanting to tune them or voice them? AG ------------------------------ Allan Gilreath, RPT Registered Piano Technician & President Allan Gilreath & Associates, Inc Calhoun, GA 706-602-7667 allan@allangilreath.com - www.allangilreath.com ...

  • Profile Picture

    Baldwin SD-10

    Posted in: CAUT

    Looking for info on tuning SD-10 front duplexes ------------------------------ Parker Leigh RPT Winchester VA (540) 722-3865 ------------------------------

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Dear Roshan I thought you'd been silent. Please don't go silent again. There are lots of things to explore in the direction that you've been going in. Recently I've been talking about the incompatibility of irrational numbers with music based ...

  • Profile Picture

    RE: Fantastic!

    Posted in: Pianotech

    Hi Keith, I haven't used Fantastic yet, but you should be able to find the article in the Journal (a few years old) about the test comparing various elixirs (ProTek, Fomblin, Fantastic, etc.). That said, I don't believe the best results are immediate ...

  • Profile Picture

    Fantastic!

    Posted in: Pianotech

    I remember years ago, Randy Chastain was showing me how she was testing fantastic as a center pin cure for the old Steinway grands. Now I'm seeing fantastic is the go-to. What is the procedure most are using? Can you use it like protex a drop at a time? ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    The only piano that I know of with gold strings here was the Schomacker pianos made in Philadelphia, PA. I've seen two of them with original strings which lasted well over 100 years. ------------------------------ Tim Foster RPT New Oxford PA (470) ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Dear Roshan, Thank you for sharing your story, I'm sorry that it's been rough and I truly hope you get the help needed to keep things moving in a healthy direction. ------------------------------ Tim Foster RPT New Oxford PA (470) 231-6074 ------ ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Hi Roshan: Thank you for sharing your story. You are indeed lucky that you survived. Where I live, we have suicide hotlines that you can call if you ever get to a point where you want to end it all. Please remember that a lot of people put their ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Equal and Unequal Beating Temperament System: The Greatest Achievement of My Life and My Itchen Bridge Survivor Story My name is Roshan Kakiya. I am a 27-year-old British Citizen. Let me start off by saying that the culmination of my exploration ...

    1 person recommends this.
  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Having an identifier printed on the piece would help in knowing what level they are in the future. Les Koltvedt (404) 631-7177 LKPianos.com

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Or you can also find online services that will let you upload the design file and they'll print and mail them to you. Or put the file on a thumb drive and take it to your local library or maker space. 3d printers are all over the place now. ------------------------------ ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    Hi Deb, yes it occurred to me after I finished this set that the particular geometry may not match future work. So I cleaned up the .scad file and have posted here for future reference. It has constants defined for all the dimensions so it's easier to ...

  • Posted in: Pianotech

    It's a 1908 Baldwin M. ------------------------------ Jim Moy Moy Piano Service, LLC http://www.moypiano.com ------------------------------