Pianotech

  • 1.  Upright Whippen needed

    Member
    Posted 03-10-2023 14:52
      |   view attached

    I need a whippen for a late 50's Hamilton Upright and don't seem to be able to locate a suitable replacement at the regular supply houses (Schaff and Pianotech). Does anyone have one or know of a source?   Thank you



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    Joseph Recker
    Plains GA
    (229) 938-6662
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  • 2.  RE: Upright Whippen needed

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 03-10-2023 15:23
    This is to the list. The part Joe is looking is called a wippen. No H. A whip is something you snap and can hurt if it hits you. The term wippen comes from the Dutch word wippe, which means a see saw.

    Please try to remember that next time you’re describing that part of the piano. WIPPEN. Not whipped.

    Wim.

    Sent from my iPhone




  • 3.  RE: Upright Whippen needed

    Member
    Posted 03-10-2023 15:28

    Thanks Wim…. I've seen it spelled both ways and didn't know which was correct.  



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    Joseph Recker
    Plains GA
    (229) 938-6662
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  • 4.  RE: Upright Whippen needed

    Member
    Posted 03-10-2023 17:18

    The Schaff catalog uses the H as in Whippen . However the better term may be Balancier. I am wondering how knuckles got that name and when. Many older books refer to them as rollers. It would be fun to have a sketch/sideview of a grand action model and label all of the parts with various label names and their spelling /name variations. 



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    James Kelly
    Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
    Pawleys Island SC
    (843) 325-4357
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  • 5.  RE: Upright Whippen needed

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 03-10-2023 18:44

    "Balancier" is another name for "repetition lever," and is the term used by Steinway for this part.

    Another name for "wippen" (or "whippen") is "repetition," also the term used by Steinway for this part. 



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    Alan Eder, RPT
    Herb Alpert School of Music
    California Institute of the Arts
    Valencia, CA
    661.904.6483
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  • 6.  RE: Upright Whippen needed

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 03-10-2023 19:16
    Yes, repetition lever or balancer are correct terms. But not whippens.

    Sent from my iPhone




  • 7.  RE: Upright Whippen needed

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 03-10-2023 22:56

    Years ago, I was told both wippen and whippen are correct spellings, one being more popular in certain parts of the world than the other and vise versa. Perhaps one of our friends across the pond could correct me, but isn't whippen the more common spelling in Great Britain?

    In any case, I’m pretty sure Schaff sells a suitable replacement, but it may take some digging to find it. I seem to remember buying one like that some years back.



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    Benjamin Sanchez, RPT
    Piano Technician / Artisan
    (256) 947-9999
    www.professional-piano-services.com
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  • 8.  RE: Upright Whippen needed

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 03-10-2023 19:14


    Sent from my iPhone





  • 9.  RE: Upright Whippen needed

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 03-10-2023 19:15
    Brooks calls them Wippens.

    Sent from my iPhone