Young Chang Syndrome

[Richard Brekne]

I do not know what Young Chang used / uses... but the sypmtoms you describe are very typical of graphite being used in the bushings. Graphite is .... cystalline formed and doesnt respond well to heat genereated by repeated use.. or so the explanation goes. Tho there may be other contributing factors to this problem when
graphite is present.

Generally, the solution is easy enough, but time consuming. I repin, and in the process use the bushing reamer to lightly clean out a bit of the graphite, then work a bit of teflon powder into the bushing with a burnishing tool. I have been doing this for several years now and have yet to have a repeat of the problem.

August Forster pianos used some kind of clear solution for some years as a lubricant. This stuff, what ever it was ended up hardening to some kind of glueish stuff. The centers would frezze up and stay that way. In such cases I have found you just have to re-bush the flanges.. or simply buy new - prebushed ones.

Telfon powder is the only thing I have ever seen that really works (and lasts) as a bushing lubricant.

Richard Brekne
I.C.P.T.G.  N.P.T.F.
Bergen, Norway

"John Lillico, RPT" wrote:

> I dub it the "Young Chang Syndrome", where a note on a grand works just great through many repeats, then seizes up.
>
> I have been told that Young Chang used a "lubricating" agent in their bushing cloth to super accelerate grand actions only to have it eventually backfire in the field. To their credit, Young Chang has performed vast remedial work under warranty.
>
> I've just tuned a 1981(?) Wagner G185 (G812449) grand (Wagner was the forerunner of Young Chang in Canada) which has an extremely heavy, lazy touch. Protek on the knuckles seemed to help the touch in a pinch but not cure the problem. Many tight CP's are evident.
>
> My questions are;
>
>         What was Young Chang's super accelerator (lubricant) called?
>         Through which years was it used?
>         Is there an antidote, short of repinning?
>
> Your imput will assist me in  recommending a remedial procedure for the client. This is not a warranty claim.
>
> In my opinion, Young Chang has been exemplary in honouring (that's Canadian spelling) warranty claims. These questions are not intended as a "slight" against Young Chang Akki, for I hold the product in high regard. As piano technicians though, we have to know the right answers in order to effectively service our clientele.
>
> John Lillico, RPT
> Oakville, Ontario, Canada