I am engaged in doing a "minimal" regulation to an old Wurlitzer grand piano that better deserves a burial in the county dump. However, it is one of these many pianos that while being rather worn out, unfortunately, nothing has completely broken yet - so it lives (limps?) on. Besides, it's a family heirloom (betcha couldn't have guessed that!).
The hammers were bobbling upon being played - insufficient key dip - notes didn't go through letoff - hence the minimal regulation to restore function (I love that term as it relates to regulation).
I leveled the keys, setting key height so that it works with the keyslip and fallboard and so that there would be adequate key dip with the felt front rail punching in place (Randy Potter's Piano Handbook worked here!!!). Sharps are 1/2" taller than naturals. With blow set to 1-7/8", I regulated letoff for both naturals and sharps. The naturals have pretty close to 10mm dip with minimal aftertouch - works for me. However, with enough dip to complete letoff plus a tiny amount for aftertouch, the sharps end up well below the naturals. It's like there is drastically differing action ratios between naturals and sharps.
Clearly a new, properly designed, keyset would remedy the situation. However I told the piano owner that I'd try to do a functional regulation for a shamefully low price.
Anyone care to suggest a simple fix?
I know I could just raise the height of the sharps, but the sharp keysticks are already taller than the natural keysticks - I'm concerned that any higher would risk interference with the fallboard. Plus, the sharps at rest are already almost exposing the bottom of the ebony sharp (would look real tacky). I could lessen blow and drop natural key height - hate to do that as playing the piano would make it feel like a harpsichord with the resultant shallow keydip. Unfortunately, as we all know, doing one thing affects many other things when regulating.......
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Terry Farrell
Farrell Piano Service, Inc.
Brandon, Florida
terry@farrellpiano.com813-684-3505
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