List, Back around the middle of July I posted a message I received from a former piano list memeber about the problems he was having with his Steinway M. Several of you responded so I thought I would post this update. Below is a message he just sent to me. It seems he may be able to get most, if not all, of his problems solved by having a competent technician redo the work that had been done on it. Unfortunately, at additional cost to him. But he doesn't seem to mind too much, as long as he gets a good instrument back. Avery > >My M went in for its rework about 10 days ago. The guy who did the rebuild >should be shot. While he had the keys out, he apparently spilled something >like CocaCola on the felt in the upper register. This felt was as hard as >a rock. He also spilled lacquer on the damper bushings. He spilled >something else on the dampers themselves, tried to get it off with a >solvent, then used steel wool, then slapped a coat of black paint on them. >No wonder they looked dull. > >This piano received the "cosmetic treatment," or if it were a car, an >interior detailing and an Earl Scheib paint job (I'll paint any car for >$99.99). The hammers and shanks you could see, so they were replaced. The >key surfaces you could see, so these were replaced. The piano was >refinished. The damper felts you could see so these were replaced -- with >the wrong stuff, but replaced. I think they thought it would be a piece of >furniture in someone's house. Fred appropriately called it a rattle-trap. > >So Fred replaced the wippens with Renner wippens, replaced all the key >bushings, and felt in the keybed. This alone got the bench downweight from >67 to 52 grams. The "stop" at the knuckle now feels smooth like new. He >hasn't touched the hammers or done any reweighting of the keys yet. >The dampers will all have to be reworked, and the pedal springs replaced. >It is very possible that I could have a very nice piano after all this. > >I wish he'd saved the old parts. I was tempted to take the box to the >store in (deleted) to show them the (expletive deleted) job this technician >did -- I think he works for the store.
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