Pianotech

Can you post some pictures ? I looked in the archives and saw some pictures posted by Wim Blees in 2015 of shredded something on backchecks. Another post mentioned loose catchers where they go into the butt. Of course the material may be a problem or the backcheck angle. Its interesting you have it on the same model so maybe it is the same problem on both. Don Mannino may have answers. The UST-8C sounds like it is a high quality studio . I serviced quite a few Baldwin Studios in the school system and it always seemed like a lot of felt was in the action- maybe because they got beat to death

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James Kelly
Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
Pawleys Island SC
843-325-4357
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-26-2022 15:23
From: Mary Kavan
Subject: KAWAI UST 8C

Can anyone tell me why the Kawai pianos' catchers shed so much.  I just tuned two today and both are shredding enough to need vacuuming.  Does this mean the buckskin is of poor quality?

I also saw this on a Samick SG172 grand piano.  The back checks were shredding badly.  For the grand I recently saw a YouTube clip by Jim Busby about sanding the tail of the hammer a bit but that's not possible for an upright piano.  Anybody run into this issue?  Thanks so much - looking forward to your helpful advice!

James,

It's a really curious looking phenomenon.  The first time I encountered it, I thought the piano had been infested with insects of some kind.  Pictures attached.

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Christopher Storch
Belmont MA
617-489-6436
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-26-2022 21:15
From: James Kelly
Subject: KAWAI UST 8C

Can you post some pictures ? I looked in the archives and saw some pictures posted by Wim Blees in 2015 of shredded something on backchecks. Another post mentioned loose catchers where they go into the butt. Of course the material may be a problem or the backcheck angle. Its interesting you have it on the same model so maybe it is the same problem on both. Don Mannino may have answers. The UST-8C sounds like it is a high quality studio . I serviced quite a few Baldwin Studios in the school system and it always seemed like a lot of felt was in the action- maybe because they got beat to death

------------------------------
James Kelly
Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
Pawleys Island SC
843-325-4357

Original Message:
Sent: 04-26-2022 15:23
From: Mary Kavan
Subject: KAWAI UST 8C

Can anyone tell me why the Kawai pianos' catchers shed so much.  I just tuned two today and both are shredding enough to need vacuuming.  Does this mean the buckskin is of poor quality?

I also saw this on a Samick SG172 grand piano.  The back checks were shredding badly.  For the grand I recently saw a YouTube clip by Jim Busby about sanding the tail of the hammer a bit but that's not possible for an upright piano.  Anybody run into this issue?  Thanks so much - looking forward to your helpful advice!

Hello Mary, 
I have seen that several times on the Kawai tall uprights. No idea though what causes it but it may be the material?
Some of the Korean made grands have something similar going on and mostly, it is caused by very rough hammer tails.
Peter

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Petrus Janssen
Peachtree City GA
678-416-8055
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-26-2022 15:23
From: Mary Kavan
Subject: KAWAI UST 8C

Can anyone tell me why the Kawai pianos' catchers shed so much.  I just tuned two today and both are shredding enough to need vacuuming.  Does this mean the buckskin is of poor quality?

I also saw this on a Samick SG172 grand piano.  The back checks were shredding badly.  For the grand I recently saw a YouTube clip by Jim Busby about sanding the tail of the hammer a bit but that's not possible for an upright piano.  Anybody run into this issue?  Thanks so much - looking forward to your helpful advice!

It's not buckskin, it's escaine or something like it. The stuff Kawai used for many years deteriorates over time on the catchers and butts and eventually needs to be replaced. Not as hard a job as it may seem.

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Steven Rosenthal
Honolulu HI
808-521-7129
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-26-2022 21:21
From: Petrus Janssen
Subject: KAWAI UST 8C

Hello Mary,
I have seen that several times on the Kawai tall uprights. No idea though what causes it but it may be the material?
Some of the Korean made grands have something similar going on and mostly, it is caused by very rough hammer tails.
Peter

------------------------------
Petrus Janssen
Peachtree City GA
678-416-8055

Original Message:
Sent: 04-26-2022 15:23
From: Mary Kavan
Subject: KAWAI UST 8C

Can anyone tell me why the Kawai pianos' catchers shed so much.  I just tuned two today and both are shredding enough to need vacuuming.  Does this mean the buckskin is of poor quality?

I also saw this on a Samick SG172 grand piano.  The back checks were shredding badly.  For the grand I recently saw a YouTube clip by Jim Busby about sanding the tail of the hammer a bit but that's not possible for an upright piano.  Anybody run into this issue?  Thanks so much - looking forward to your helpful advice!

These are Escaine beards.  They are common on pianos with Escaine on the catchers:
https://www.ecsaine.com/en/

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Blaine Hebert
Duarte CA
626-795-5170
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-26-2022 15:23
From: Mary Kavan
Subject: KAWAI UST 8C

Can anyone tell me why the Kawai pianos' catchers shed so much.  I just tuned two today and both are shredding enough to need vacuuming.  Does this mean the buckskin is of poor quality?

I also saw this on a Samick SG172 grand piano.  The back checks were shredding badly.  For the grand I recently saw a YouTube clip by Jim Busby about sanding the tail of the hammer a bit but that's not possible for an upright piano.  Anybody run into this issue?  Thanks so much - looking forward to your helpful advice!