Pianotech

  • 1.  Vintage from Problematic Stwy Back Actions

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 02-14-2023 08:58

    Would Stwy M SN 382575 be in the vintageof problematic Stwy back actions?

    TIA



    ------------------------------
    William Ballard RPT
    WBPS
    Saxtons River VT
    802-869-9107

    "Our lives contain a thousand springs
    and dies if one be gone
    Strange that a harp of a thousand strings
    should keep in tune so long."
    ...........Dr. Watts, "The Continental Harmony,1774
    +++++++++++++++++++++
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Vintage from Problematic Stwy Back Actions

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 02-14-2023 11:00
    I have heard that the back action is set to high, so that the back of the keys dig into the damper levers, creating divots in the key end felts. But you're going to have to look at the key end felts to see if they are actually doing that. 





  • 3.  RE: Vintage from Problematic Stwy Back Actions

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 02-16-2023 08:48

    Thanks, Wim.

    Actually Mark Dierauf bracketed it at this MON's chapter meeting: the "Pratt/Read" era in the mid-50s through the 60s, when NY Stwy was making use of that outside supplier. I thought there might have been an earlier vintage of bad back actions, but this 1962 piano is right in the above era.

    I always do new key end felt, even in situation when I'm not changing the lifter tray felt. The wear on the latter is even across the set (taking into account the difference between weights and return springs from one end to the other, in the system). The wear on the former is uneven, being a function of where the traffic is.



    ------------------------------
    William Ballard RPT
    WBPS
    Saxtons River VT
    802-869-9107

    "Our lives contain a thousand springs
    and dies if one be gone
    Strange that a harp of a thousand strings
    should keep in tune so long."
    ...........Dr. Watts, "The Continental Harmony,1774
    +++++++++++++++++++++
    ------------------------------



  • 4.  RE: Vintage from Problematic Stwy Back Actions

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 02-15-2023 12:12
    Bill,
    Sorry nothing to add. I was hoping to ask you a question about your cleaning of a stained key bed recently.

    If you’re willing please email me off list:
    joespiano@gmail.com

    Thanks,


    Joe Wiencek
    NYC