sluggish aeolian spinet action

[Susan Kline]

>
>
>Back in the fifties I made a littl gadget we called a shocker for sluggish 
>flanges.
>
>                                                 Bud Schwab

Thanks, Bud, for inventing the zapper. I got a couple from Mr. Mehaffey. 
While one
has to be careful with it, to avoid charring the birdseye, it can be a real 
godsend.
I remember once in a private house, tuning a very old Steinway for a wedding,
a few of the damper underlevers were sticking, and they were the glued on 
type.
A split second of zap for each, and all was well. Another time I went to tune
a miserable short grand for a very sick and poor old lady, who was also very
anxious. The jacks were sticking throughout. I just suggested she go and 
take a
little nap, gave a short jolt to all the jacks, and when she came back the
piano was working fine and I was half way through the tuning.

It's not without risk, but with care it can really save the day.

By the way, I've found that when zapping where the cloth overhangs and it
nearly drives you crazy, trying to find the center pin ends, that I can use 
one
of Don Mannino's broaches to point at the center pin, and touch it with
one side of the tweezers. So far I haven't fried the broach to oblivion,
though it has turned blue on the end.

Susan Kline