Steinway pitman

[A440A@aol.com]

 Ken Strick writes,
>Can anyone help with a troublesome squeak I'm getting from the brass
>pitman& the pads it contacts.


     You should replace the felt that is lining the hole through the keybed,

(they are often contaminated with paste graphite, (which doesn't work on
felt), and make sure that the contact points on either end are properly
lubed,  I prefer teflon powder.
     A more dependable approach is to use a wooden pitman of lesser diameter,
smooth ends, and pointed locating pins in either end.  I use sharp
centerpins, extending slightly more than the thickness of the leather pad it
will be embedded in.  This removes the side friction from the mechanism,
allowing you to look to the ends for the source of noise.
     Be aware that there are certain imperatives in the alignment of the the
trapwork lever and the arc position of the damper tray.
      Also,  squeaks often come from elsewhere in the trapwork, and moving
the levers around to take out the pitman will often cause the noise to abate
temporarily.
good Luck,
Ed Foote
Precision Piano Works
Nashville, Tn.