THUD

[Newton Hunt]

> 
> Now tell me, how can I support the sagging or weak keybed without my knees?
> 

You have a bedding problem here.  The way it is supposed to
work is the keybed is planed perfectly straight left to
right.  The key frame front rail is planed so the ends are
higher than the center and the height of the keyblocks is
set so the blocks put just enough pressure on the frame end
pins to seat the ends of the frame gently upon the keybed
AND without raising the center of the keyframe off the bed.  

Put a dozen strips of thin and narrow paper under the key
frame spaced across the keybed and install the screws as
above.  Gently pull the strips and mark the keyframe where
they are the most tight.  Sand the frame until all strips
placed anywhere under the the front rail all across the
width of the frame pull out with the same pull

Release the keyblock screws and while gently taping the
frame end slowly turn the screws back until the knocking
!just! disappears.  That is the proper setting.  You can
shim the blocks so this occurs when really tightening the
screws.  Those screws are there to hold the keyframe down,
barely, not to hold the piano together.

Some Steinways change this setting seasonally and what I
have done is to remove all the shims and drill and install
two screws in the front of the blocks.  I can adjust the
height of the blocks as needed to keep the frame secure but
just touching the keybed.

Have fun!

		Newton