I don't particularly agree with your understanding of "mistakes", as you define mistake on the negative...but that's fine...to each his own.
<"...Experiment on your own pianos first. Experimenting on other peoples pianos can have negative results".
I will however disagree in the strongest terms with this statement as it is commonly voiced, absolutely false, and scares folks away from serious rebuild work
This statement assumes an experiment piano is a one off thing. It assumes the experiment piano is a one off practice event that confers competency at its completion. To a huge degree, even after practicing on an experiment piano, you will still have huge gaping holes in your skills, processes and results, that will take years to improve, sometimes. Each and every piano will still, if you are challenging your skill set, paying attention to results, and improving the result every time, continue to be a project full of experiments, and thus intentional and unintentional mistakes. The piano is simply too complex to think you will have it mastered after an introductory rebuild or action job, and then you are ready to go. Each new job will have its leap of faith component, well into one's thirtieth year in the business and beyond. Some will be more experimental than others, and some wildly experimental, on purpose, but experiment and informed guesses are the essence of what we do.
Said another way, there is no certainty. If one has no capacity for uncertainty, and cannot non-judgmentally accept "mistakes" or lack of knowledge as essential to the work at hand, then the result will be beginner work, over and over again, with no improvement.
In piano work, and in all artisan work all mistakes are correctable, and not to be feared. Some take longer than others to correct, but there is no fatal error. Serious rebuilders know, that with rework and commitment, the result will always be much better than the vast majority of pianos out there. The results, with serious thought and rework, will be to "pretty damn good", assuming a high level of commitment to the process...and pretty damn good is pretty damn good.
Sorry to go on about this, but the bullshit about not doing anything until you have perfected your art is endemic. Its false, and just cuts folks short of doing what they know full well, they are capable of doing, without some big mouth cutting them down.
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Jim Ialeggio
grandpianosolutions.com
Shirley, MA
978 425-9026
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Original Message:
Sent: 10-31-2020 13:57
From: Keith Roberts
Subject: new front keybushing clearances
It's a mistake if what you do cannot be corrected without major expense or you don't get the chance to correct it.
It's not a mistake if you can correct it before anybody else finds out about it.
That being said,, experiment on your own pianos first. Experimenting on other peoples pianos can have negative results and the techs can't back you up when the owner sues.
If you have made your final mistake in life that means people are looking to bury the remains.
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Keith Roberts
owner
Hathaway Pines CA
209-770-4312
Original Message:
Sent: 10-31-2020 09:42
From: Jim Ialeggio
Subject: new front keybushing clearances
Contradict away...the attribute of big mouths, who impose their unasked mentorship and dominance on groups like this, is that they can convince many folks that they know, by shear force of personality. Listen to them, without questioning, and not only will they slow you down significantly, but make the whole exercise more stressful than it needs to be.
Instead, my approach is that...there are no mistakes...period. Experiment and see. Empirical experience is the most reliable and friendly mentor, and removes emotion and social position, two useless quantities in this situation, from what should be a much simpler non-emotional undertaking.
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Jim Ialeggio
grandpianosolutions.com
Shirley, MA
978 425-9026
Original Message:
Sent: 10-31-2020 09:30
From: Lucinda Strehlow
Subject: new front keybushing clearances
p.s. I have been told not to do that, but was not told the reason. It was someone I would not contradict, so I didn't ask.
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Cindy Strehlow, RPT
Urbana, IL
Original Message:
Sent: 10-30-2020 13:38
From: Jeannie Grassi
Subject: new front keybushing clearances
I have used Profelt in the past and had great results but don't have accurate data on how long it lasts? Is it just a temporary remedy or long term?
Jeannie Grassi
PTG Registered Piano Technician
206-842-3721
grassipianos@gmail.com
Original Message:
Sent: 10/29/2020 4:17:00 PM
From: Jim Ialeggio
Subject: new front keybushing clearances
We are trying to tighten up our clearances on new front bushings, relative to how much side to side movement is allowed. We tend to have about .010-.012" side to side play, and are playing with tightening that up, wth mixed results. Any comments on manufacturers new targert specs on front bushing side-to-side play?
Most of what I can measure is close to that .010-.012-ish.
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Jim Ialeggio
grandpianosolutions.com
Shirley, MA
978 425-9026
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