Return Springs on a Baldwin 243

[Richard Brekne]

Bill, I suppose you have checked for sluggish centers, weak jacksprings,
worn jack tops and other basic regulation concerns ?

If so it might be fun for us all to get into a "What can cause slow
repetition in an upright" discussion. Theres lots of possible
contributors ranging from geometric problems to rust on front rail pins.

I will offer the following to check... barely tight bridal straps ??

Bill Ballard wrote:

> List,
>
> I have a piano teacher with a legitimate complaint about repetition
> on a 20 year-old Baldwin Studio Upright 243. The jack won't make it
> back under the butt until the key returns, and sometimes not even
> them. The butt and catcher leathers are also a synthetic which i
> would describe as 220 grit.
>
> My test for repetition is to use a finger of the LH as an up-stop,
> and to find at what point lowering that stop will prevent to jack's
> return

Would you mind describing this test a bit more.... I am perhaps missing
the obvious but using your LH as an up-stop for what ??

>
> The problem clears up when I lift the hammer rail for ~1mm lost
> motion at the keyboard, but I'm uncomfortable leaving in a lost
> motion of this size.
>
> I did remove the spring rail and bend all springs to that the butt
> had a minimum of return from the string (a bend going from 3pm to
> 5pm, as viewed from the bass). The repetition didn't appear to have
> gained, and now, the action is too slow in very quiet playing. So
> regardless of what positive effect weakening the hammer springs in
> relation to the jack spring might have, I'll have to backtrack from
> this to get a more positive return in quiet playing.

How are the Hammer centers ?

> I also changed one hammer butt for a brand new  Baldwin butt with
> beautiful smooth buckskin, but once again it wasn't clear the the
> dramatic step down in friction with real butt leather helped out the
> jack's return. Starting over with a complete set of new butts is an
> option

I suppose if the old butts and check leathers are in bad shape and you
can replace them you should do that in anycase... but it sounds like
your real problem has to do with the speed and force the jack is
returning verses the speed the hammer butt is droping back into rest
position. Or perhaps something is preventing the whippen from lowering
quite far enough.

>
>
> Any ideas on improving repetition in this piano?
>
> Bill Ballard, RPT
> NH Chapter PTG
>
> "Can you check out this middle C?. It "whangs' - (or twangs?)
>      Thanks so much, Ginger"
>      ...........Service Request
> +++++++++++++++++++++

--
Richard Brekne
RPT, N.P.T.F.
Bergen, Norway
mailto:Richard.Brekne@grieg.uib.no