keyframe bedding

[Fred Sturm]

Jeff,
	That sounds like typical dry weather condition. Steinway front rails
being "sprung" (up on ends, down in middle, relying on key blocks to
pull outer ends down), drying out means a gap appears on one or other
end (usually both). It's seasonal, so removing cardboard shims from the
key blocks (if any is left) will cure the problem for now, but you'll
end up with binding in the wet summer. And back and forth through the
years. I've replaced the - uh, what are those called, where's the
nomenclature book when I need it - thingies that actually bear down on
the keyframe pins with the adjustable Yamaha type with considerable
success.
Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico

Jeff Tanner wrote:
> 
> Lowe's also carries various sizes of iron-on veneer edgings.  I've used it
> for broken key repair and also for shimming the unacorda shift guide block.
> I wondered if it would also work for the problem mentioned in this thread.
> I've got a 7 year old Steinway B in a teaching studio which has a front
> rail gap in the bass end and is causing an irritating knock in the lowest
> couple of octaves.  The gap is larger than could be corrected by sanding,
> and is a problem I hadn't noticed before the last tuning or so.  The studio
> is continuously busy with two instructors sharing the studio, so I haven't
> had a chance to get in there to check balance rail bedding to see if the
> problem is there first.  I was going to wait until I had the chance to do
> so before bringing the question up to the list, but while the subject is
> hot, why not?
> Jeff
> 
> Jeff Tanner
> Piano Technician
> School of Music
> University of South Carolina
> Columbia, SC 29208
> (803)-777-4392 (phone)