Clyde H. wrote: "My question is this: Can I expect a heat bar under the keybed to alleviate the tightness from humidity? Should it go inside the action cavity? Or is there no way to know until I know if the sluggishness is from key bushings or action centers? And what wattage should I use? Or, do you think I should forget about humidity control and just get in there and fix the problem?" No, a heat bar under the keybed won't alleviate the tightness from humidity. It is possible to install a heat bar on the action. However it will heat the pinblock as well as the action. Do you want that? The tuning pins probably aren't too tight. The term "1938 Steinway" suggests the problem: verdigris in action centers. It will be worse in high humidity situations, just as for any tight action center problem. Yes, you have to do something about the centers if you want to solve the problem. The problem will get worse with time, and even if a heater bar on the action is effective now, it will become less so as the verdigris problem worsens. If there is a question whether the problem is key bushings or action centers, key bushings can usually be checked without withdrawing the action. It's not too time consuming to remove a S&S action. There are only two screws to remove. As long as you have invested the time to make a trip to the customer's home, the time to pull the action is insignificant. And for that small time investment, you may sell a job that would more than pay you back for the time you already invested. Bob Anderson Tucson, AZ
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