Et Al; I thought that I had seen everything that could be done half er...way and in creative misapplication of techniques.......as usual I was wrong. I evaluated a S&S model 'M'(I think, I did not measure) re-something or other...certainly rebulid, refurbish or remanufacture don't fit!! (keep in mind that the customer traded a 5 year old Kawai 6'something and 10,000 dollars to obtain this beauty........... Working from the key bed up: New front rail felts...no regulating punchings 'period' under the naturals and 1 Thick card under each of the sharps. New keytops, one piece front and top, untrimmed/filed/fitted. No new key bushings. Corroded capstans. New short backchecks, unleveled and or regulated. Full set of new Renner S&S style whips, unregulated and installed bass ackwards, i.e., No. 1 was on No. 88 and vice versa............but they 'were' in order :-) Old hammers/shanks/knuckles. (NOTE: I believe these hammers are from a model 'A', or some such, as there are obviously 26 bass hammers installed on a 20 bass note scale! The first six hammers in the bottom tenor section are what normally would be the last six on a 26 note bass scale. Each of these six hammers have had their original shank hole plugged and a new shank hole drilled sorta close.........the tails have not been cut off but the hammers have been filed drastically to fit in their new location. If I had to guess I would say that all 88 were original hammers 80 or more years ago!) Hammers are past the point of filability (is that a word?:) Hammers hit the strings but that is the end of any sembelance of regulation. New pinblock..........does not even touch the stretcher, almost hidden by the plate between plate and stretcher, muchless being glued and doweled. Tuning pins at various stage of completion as to tight coils/beckets/level. New treble strings with OLD BASS STRINGS!!!!!!! Plate has been rebronzed and a cute little hitch pin punching adorns each hitch pin.................. No string braid at all, anywhere. etc., etc., etc................... BUT............ the dampers work well !!!!! How can these people get away with this kinda stuff? If I did a likewise re-something or other I would be UNDER a jail somewhere!!! What would you do, would you have done, if presented with the above instrument? I'll tell you what I did/am doing when y'all have had a chance to suggestionate. :-) Jim Bryant (FL)
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