Discussion Posts

Kent, thanks so much. Great advice.  I probably exadurated a bit when I said whacked. I just knew it needed significant pitch correction-primarily in the bottom half.  This is all great information. Things are going much better!  Thanks again everyone! ...

James, Thank you!  It clearly answers the paraffin question.  Where did you find this?  It's great!  Contains the subtle hint that their pianos will keep on singing even without regular maintenance.  Pwg ------------------------------ Peter Grey Stratham ...

Thank you for that.  I've downloaded it for the guys.  It possibly helps explain things. ------------------------------ Ted Rohde Central Illinois ------------------------------

I'm in agreement with Jon on this one.  One of our guys had a Kranich & Bach two weeks ago with a similar problem.  She sent me pics quite similar.  In our particular instance, it's what Jon says. ------------------------------ Ted Rohde Central Illinois ...

Jim - you've done a wonderful job on that instrument and reducing the termination angle to 15 degrees will make all the difference. Just why do so many instruments have a termination angle of up to 40 degrees? It's really absurd and makes tuning hazardous ...

That's odd. Epoxies ability to "give" just a bit is one of the reasons I use it to fill soundboard cracks. I started using the material because it gave better long-term results than fitted wood shims. I have seen failures with cracks filled with ...

Ok I had some time waiting for lacquer to dry…..  First the replacements will work from Schaff…..they are not as long but the cutout in the bottom will catch the set pin on the rail enough to fit. Tighten enough to one side of the bottom cut. This ...

Would anyone know when Hamburg began mounting the sostenuto assembly on the belly rail?  I looked at a B from early 1970's which had sostenuto on action frame. Thanks ------------------------------ David Skolnik [RPT] Hastings-on-Hudson NY 914-231-7565 ...

Thank you Dorothy for calling me. I can't wait to meet you. So I think I'm set. Tho both Dorothy and I are open to taking another gal in if she's stuck. Hopefully everyone will find roommates! thanks! -- Alice Alviani Family Piano Co 847-775-1988 ...

Martin, Thank you so much for sharing this! I'm enraptured. So tastefully done in every way. Former choir director that I am, I love the variation at 1:17. What a delightful surprise. Can't but hope there will be a CD coming. With appreciation, David ...

First, those are butt plates, not flanges. These can be tough to find good replacements for, as various manufacturers created a variety of shapes and sizes. Can't tell from the side view photo which end is notched. Looks like the original may have a ...

get a good light in the action cavity and check around for screws coming through the keybed from below. it does not take much to snag an action frame. ask me how i know. sometimes you can get them out but its impossible to get them in. whiled the action ...

Tip the wippen rail so that the curved, metal lever is touching the hammer lift rail prior to installing. ------------------------------ Regards, Jon Page mailto:jonpage@pianocapecod.com http://www.pianocapecod.com ------------------------------

Chris, Both of the ones here are the identical configuration with the action frame connected under the key set. David, I think that is what I did to get the thing to move, had to manipulate it around a bit. ------------------------------ Dan Silverwood ...

Rogers had a similar design that I came across. From memory one has to lift the front of the action a little so that the back goes under a relevant part and it's really awkward. In a small grand with overstrung strings at quite an angle it's easy for ...

Here's an interesting K&B action I had to work on once. ------------------------------ Troubles are Bubbles, and they just float away. chernobieffpiano.com grandpianoman@protonmail.com Knoxville, TN 865-986-7720 ------------------------------

I recall the same problem and having  to manipulate one or both of the pedals. Could have been the damper bar inside blocking for the final inch. ------------------------------ Dan Silverwood www.silverwoodpianos.com http://silverwoodpianos.blogspot.com/ ...

My experience has been that it always comes back sooner or later, and in some cases it comes back with a vengeance, faster and worse than before (that one I cannot explain, but it happens). I cannot speak to rebushing since I have not attempted treatment ...

I was told that it went in almost all the way and stopped with an inch or so to go. He could not figure out what the obstruction was. ------------------------------ Craig Miller Marietta GA 770-321-9390 ------------------------------

David, are you suggesting that rebushing will result in the same problem down the road? Does anyone have experience with verdigris returning after rebushing? Or would it take many years? Some old parts are difficult to replace.....currently I have an ...

I use QuickBooks Online version. It works excellent as a database too. There are plugins you can use with it too. Ones for tracking time to the minute. At the end of the year, my accountant can login via his software and prepare tax forms. I have it ...

"..... there was side-play which I had experienced with the old cracked flange. I can't get it to be securely tight like the neighboring notes that have unbroken flanges" So think about for a moment. The broken flange allowed the pin to slop around and ...

I have a couple of the KB spring and loop actions here. Sometimes I have to move the left pedal a bit to fit the mechanism back in. There is no description of what the problem is in returning the action to the cavity. Is it the hammers blocking? ------------------------------ ...

Can anyone help to interpret the tuning instructions from Blondel, head of Erard https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k123724v.pdf page 678 of the PDF As I read them - 1. A the diapason and the 5th from the bass in unison 2. The octave below without ...

I have been contacted by a local tech who is not a PTG member asking for help with a Kranich & Bach grand action. He removed it from the piano and is unable to get it back in. He sent me some pictures that are somewhat helpful. I have attached three of ...

Seems a bit of an overreaction.  What's clear is that the brass center pins are reacting to something.  Since the same pins exist in pianos that don't form verdigris one has to assume that the culprit is something in contact with the pins. Since it is ...

Another thing about Gazelle that I like is that we can invoice an alternative billing source but still enter the service information on that piano.  For instance, if a concert is scheduled at a university by a client other than the university, I can enter ...

Hi Benjamin, We've been using Gazelle for about 3 years now.  While it's not a comprehensive invoicing program with the ability to get annual records, etc. for tax purposes, it's great for my university, church, school work where multiple pianos are being ...

this may explain once and for all the issue of frozen, verdigris action parts and why they smell like candles when heated or have a waxy appearance as others have mentioned in this thread ------------------------------ James Kelly Pawleys Island SC 843-325-4357 ...

how old is this piano and under what environmental situation is it in ? fireplace or wood stove ? is the humidity high in summer or when you are there ?  the cost of new parts and your time/labor may not be economically feasible. if its that bad and ...

i have worked on two of these pianos and not seen the problem you are describing. one was moved here from maryland and has a full dampp chaser system in it so it has been in cold and now more humid situations. what paul has stated about exposure to humidity ...

Hi Philip: My experience with Chinese flanges is that the felt is quite susceptible to swelling when there's moisture. Then, the wood is quite spongy, so it too changes with humidity. The ones you reamed are likely to still have problems unless you ...

A customer has a Chinese Christofori console. It has all kinds off loose/tight hammer flanges. I reamed the tight ones last year and got it playing, but now more are stuck with some pins working out of the flanges. I plan to offer to re-bush all the flanges. ...

I'm assuming you have talked to Allen st Schaff about the old style brass clips? Sent from my iPhone ------Original Message------ The only thing I can think of, and what I would probably try is to dip the notched end of each replacement butt plate ...

The only thing I can think of, and what I would probably try is to dip the notched end of each replacement butt plate in epoxy and let harden.  File off the front, back and sides so that the notched part is the only part with glue.  The glue has filled ...

We are trying to save a patient dying of terminal cancer. From microscopic examination the material coalesced onto the flange pins appears waxy and does not easily dissolve in solvents.?? This suggests that it might be a wax.?? Strong solvents that ...

Upon further investigation, I see that the notch at the bottom of either butt plate don't match.  That could cause l/r wobble by the looks of things. ------------------------------ Larry Fisher Owner, Chief Grunt, Head Hosehead Vancouver WA 360-256-2999 ...

Hi Ken, There's a threaded butt plate and a non-threaded butt plate.  They look the same.  Are you saying you're not getting a good match with the threads in the threaded butt plate?? ------------------------------ Larry Fisher Owner, Chief Grunt, ...

When you burn an old Steinway flange, the smoke smells just like candle smoke. So this old chemistry student is gonna say paraffin. ------------------------------ Edward McMorrow Edmonds WA 425-299-3431 ------------------------------

I'm glad my theory is bogus...fake...and otherwise dumb.  No one though has actually DEMONSTRATED that paraffin, or mutton tallow, or whatever they think is the cause, actually IS the cause.  I have had pretty good success with the following, usually ...

I spent some time getting my video capabilities up to snuff, this past fall.  After a false start with another program, I bought Adobe Premier Elements. It suits my needs. Bought a decent DSLR, already had a Tascam digital and good mikes, bought a cheap ...

Hello All, I found a new video editor program for windows, Movie Maker 10. Essentially updated version of Windows Live Movie Maker, for Windows 10. Available for free from the Microsoft App Store.  Basic functions are free, but they want you to pay ...

I agree plus add your sales tax permit number(s) to your invoice. Best, Jim ------Original Message------ Wow Cory-What an amazing week & season for you! I would like to encourage you to always add your sales tax on your invoice. Makes it really ...

You have received great responses, but there are a few more things. If the piano is way out of tune or off-pitch, which I assume is what you meant by WHACKED, it can be OK to go with the bad readings for the pitch correction/rough pass. Then after ...

Larry M. wrote: "Metal conducts temperature changes quicker than wood. Cooling metal will condense water vapor before wood." I agree with your statement Larry. However, the original statement suggested that the humidity increased within the action ...

Fellow PTG members,      Hi.  This is the first time that I am entering the forum.  I decided to take home the action of an old Stieff upright earlier this week.  The piano is located in the lower level/basement of a church where I'm employed as the music ...

I've carried a sliver of Ivory soap with me for 40 years. Of course not the same slice. But this is my great grandfathers ax. Of course the handle has been replaced a few times and once the ax head, but it is my great grandfather's ax. ------------------------------ ...

Metal conducts temperature changes quicker than wood. Cooling metal will condense water vapor before wood. ------------------------------ Larry Messerly, RPT Bringing Harmony to Homes www.lacrossepianotuning.com ljmesserly@gmail.com 928-899-7292 --- ...

I've been using a Filmaker template Alan McCoy developed for many, many years, and find it does everything I need to do for the university situation. It does require that you have a recent version of Filemaker, which can be expensive, but there is a ...

Wow Cory-What an amazing week & season for you! I would like to encourage you to always add your sales tax on your invoice. Makes it really visible to the Cust & you are being clear about how you reached your total charges. So hypothetically if you were ...