Turbo whipping....oooh I like the sound of that!

Mark Cramer cramer@BrandonU.CA
Thu Sep 14 09:01 MDT 2000


"Tension has to be adjusted on a spring at the coil, as has already been
pointed out."

Cheers
Mark Bolsius
Bolsius Piano Services
Canberra Australia

Thanks Mark,
I'll clarify the question, as you may or may not have seen the booklet Lloyd
provides with the "turbo-wips."

Against our best judgement, the diagram shows a pair of needle-nosed pliers
gripping the spring half-way between the coil and the hook.  The caption
reads "place a small bend here."

No doubt, the excellent instructions are from either Rick B. or Chris R., so
I may contact them to see exactly what they had in mind.

BTW, this is perhaps a "text-book" perfect example of what these wippens are
intended for.  The piano is a 1963 "B", definitive of the "accelerated
action" paradigm of the day.  ie: well into the tenor there are (typically)
"SIX" factory installed, full-sized leads in each key, with the furthest
being placed very close to the balance rail.

The symptoms are typical as well, as the piano plays like a garden tractor,
but weighs off right to spec!? A previous technician replaced the original
"mallets" with Renner blues, perhaps in hope of shedding some lead, but no
cigar.

With geometry problems (as you suggested) this far out, the turbo-wips
really are a welcome solution.  In my evaluations, I was able to remove 4
leads @ C4, get 49D/22U, and actually weaken the assist spring (from factory
setting) substantially in the process.

The difference (in a single note sample) was amazing, especially when you
consider the final weigh-off specs were within a gram or two of the
originals!

Thanks Lloyd,.. thanks all, G'day Mark B.!

Mark Cramer, RPT
Brandon University









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