Pianotech

Just when you thought you've seen everything. Went to a new clients home today where there is a 30 year-old Kohler & Campbell grand. Owner was complaining of some slow keys. Couldn't find any slow keys, but I found plenty that we're not repeating. First thought was slow jacks. Quick inspection revealed slow jacks. Told her all about repeating, and sometimes some plating issues but recommended lubrication as a first try. Applied Protek liberally several times to all jack centers. At first, it seemed to improve most of them, but very quickly the slow jacks re-emerged. Probably half the jacks were not returning. Removed action and removed a couple of the wippen with very slow jacks. The ends of the pins looked rather strange to me and it really took a couple minutes of staring at them till I realize that there was glue all over these things. I'm gonna guess CA glue but who knows what. It's all in between the Jack and the lower piece of the weapon that the heel is attached to. Pretty easy to see that. No amount of lubrication is going to fix this. I've only removed two of the weapon assemblies. But peeing in and seeing what I could see, I would guess that at least half of the weapons have some amount of glue on them. Seems to me it would be a ridiculously tedious and expensive task to remove the jacks and clean each one of these weapons. I guess you could scrape the glue off. But then if it's CA glue, especially if it's thin CA glue it might be in the bushings. I'm thinking the only reasonable thing is replace either all the affected weapons or just replace all of them. The piano does not have much wear on it. It clearly has not been played much at all.

I'm trying to figure out what would be best solution to recommend to the Piano owner. Ideas? Is there anything to be done besides wippen replacement?

If it was Ca glue, I imagine the jacks wouldn't be sluggish, they would be frozen. Whippen replacement seems to be the most cost effective solution. 

Btw, you need to fire your spell check.

Just when you thought you've seen everything. Went to a new clients home today where there is a 30 year-old Kohler & Campbell grand. Owner was complaining of some slow keys. Couldn't find any slow keys, but I found plenty that we're not repeating. First thought was slow jacks. Quick inspection revealed slow jacks. Told her all about repeating, and sometimes some plating issues but recommended lubrication as a first try. Applied Protek liberally several times to all jack centers. At first, it seemed to improve most of them, but very quickly the slow jacks re-emerged. Probably half the jacks were not returning. Removed action and removed a couple of the wippen with very slow jacks. The ends of the pins looked rather strange to me and it really took a couple minutes of staring at them till I realize that there was glue all over these things. I'm gonna guess CA glue but who knows what. It's all in between the Jack and the lower piece of the weapon that the heel is attached to. Pretty easy to see that. No amount of lubrication is going to fix this. I've only removed two of the weapon assemblies. But peeing in and seeing what I could see, I would guess that at least half of the weapons have some amount of glue on them. Seems to me it would be a ridiculously tedious and expensive task to remove the jacks and clean each one of these weapons. I guess you could scrape the glue off. But then if it's CA glue, especially if it's thin CA glue it might be in the bushings. I'm thinking the only reasonable thing is replace either all the affected weapons or just replace all of them. The piano does not have much wear on it. It clearly has not been played much at all.

I'm trying to figure out what would be best solution to recommend to the Piano owner. Ideas? Is there anything to be done besides wippen replacement?

Just when you thought you've seen everything. Went to a new clients home today where there is a 30 year-old Kohler & Campbell grand. Owner was complaining of some slow keys. Couldn't find any slow keys, but I found plenty that we're not repeating. First thought was slow jacks. Quick inspection revealed slow jacks. Told her all about repeating, and sometimes some plating issues but recommended lubrication as a first try. Applied Protek liberally several times to all jack centers. At first, it seemed to improve most of them, but very quickly the slow jacks re-emerged. Probably half the jacks were not returning. Removed action and removed a couple of the wippen with very slow jacks. The ends of the pins looked rather strange to me and it really took a couple minutes of staring at them till I realize that there was glue all over these things. I'm gonna guess CA glue but who knows what. It's all in between the Jack and the lower piece of the weapon that the heel is attached to. Pretty easy to see that. No amount of lubrication is going to fix this. I've only removed two of the weapon assemblies. But peeing in and seeing what I could see, I would guess that at least half of the weapons have some amount of glue on them. Seems to me it would be a ridiculously tedious and expensive task to remove the jacks and clean each one of these weapons. I guess you could scrape the glue off. But then if it's CA glue, especially if it's thin CA glue it might be in the bushings. I'm thinking the only reasonable thing is replace either all the affected weapons or just replace all of them. The piano does not have much wear on it. It clearly has not been played much at all.

I'm trying to figure out what would be best solution to recommend to the Piano owner. Ideas? Is there anything to be done besides wippen replacement?

Mr. Farrell,

From the photo it looks like the glue from a hot glue gun. What the previous tech was trying to fix is a mystery. Maybe the jack centers were walking out one side? I'd try removing the glue with a chisel and re-pinning one of them to see how hard the glue is. In any event I'm pretty sure peeing on the weapon won't be much help. It might, however, serve as an editorial comment regarding your opinion on the quality of the instrument;-)

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Karl Roeder
Pompano Beach FL

Original Message:
Sent: 10-07-2025 15:28
From: Terrence Farrell
Subject: Gluing Wippens

Just when you thought you've seen everything. Went to a new clients home today where there is a 30 year-old Kohler & Campbell grand. Owner was complaining of some slow keys. Couldn't find any slow keys, but I found plenty that we're not repeating. First thought was slow jacks. Quick inspection revealed slow jacks. Told her all about repeating, and sometimes some plating issues but recommended lubrication as a first try. Applied Protek liberally several times to all jack centers. At first, it seemed to improve most of them, but very quickly the slow jacks re-emerged. Probably half the jacks were not returning. Removed action and removed a couple of the wippen with very slow jacks. The ends of the pins looked rather strange to me and it really took a couple minutes of staring at them till I realize that there was glue all over these things. I'm gonna guess CA glue but who knows what. It's all in between the Jack and the lower piece of the weapon that the heel is attached to. Pretty easy to see that. No amount of lubrication is going to fix this. I've only removed two of the weapon assemblies. But peeing in and seeing what I could see, I would guess that at least half of the weapons have some amount of glue on them. Seems to me it would be a ridiculously tedious and expensive task to remove the jacks and clean each one of these weapons. I guess you could scrape the glue off. But then if it's CA glue, especially if it's thin CA glue it might be in the bushings. I'm thinking the only reasonable thing is replace either all the affected weapons or just replace all of them. The piano does not have much wear on it. It clearly has not been played much at all.

I'm trying to figure out what would be best solution to recommend to the Piano owner. Ideas? Is there anything to be done besides wippen replacement?

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Terry Farrell
Farrell Piano Service, Inc.
Brandon, Florida
terry@farrellpiano.com
813-684-3505
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