Return Springs on a Baldwin 243

[Douglasmahard@AOL.COM]

Hi Bill,
Lube the jack flange bushing.
Replace jack spring with new one.
Check for sharp edge on top of jack.
Hammer rail felt indented increasing blow distance. Massage/shim felt.
Jack position to far from butt under full key dip. 
Key bushings tight/balance rail hole tight.

These are not in any particular order. Good luck and let us know what you 
find.

Doug Mahard

In a message dated 12/28/2000 9:24:12 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
yardbird@vermontel.net writes:

<< 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
 
 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.
 
 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
 
 Any ideas on improving repetition in this piano?
 
 
 Bill Ballard, RPT >>