1906 Stwy wippens

[jason kanter]

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Thanks all for your rich set of responses. Meanwhile, please, I need =
your reaction to this:

I have tuned the piano a couple of times, filed the godawful hammers, =
and done a quick regulation. During this, I pointed out to client the =
lack of jack regulating screws. He then discussed this with a pianist =
friend from New York, who sent this remark:

"The knuckles (felt covered with buckskin) on the hammershank are =
probably misshapen or compressed also. I am sure that the little jack =
felts could be replaced, but it would be a lot of work and I don't know =
how final adjustments are made. Everybody in NYC area replaces the whole =
action on pianos that vintage, and when that works the piano can be =
dreamy to play. It often does not work out quite that well unfortunately =
- over the years Steinway used at least seven different sets of =
dimensions for their parts - varying here and there by a millimeter or =
so - and there are also many sizes of new parts, so it takes a bit of =
experimentation to get it right. A lot of technicians don't even come =
close; I have seen many new actions that were just too heavy to play. =
Yesterday Reinhard was trying to get a 1888 B to play that had just been =
rebuilt at the Steinway factory . They had sent it back to the owner =
with a new action that was around 75 grams instead of 48. Unplayable. He =
was trying to improve it with key leads - Steinway had randomly removed =
a bunch, so one key was 80 grams and the very next maybe 55. They also =
had used new Steinway whippens which had a flat heel which did not match =
AT ALL the angled capstan in the key, so that added to the fucked up =
feel. Piano keys, and all the action parts move in slight arcs. The =
original Steinway parts accommodated that for perfect power transfer. =
Along the way Steinway seem to have forgotten that, so new pianos and =
parts are manufactured thinking that keys and action parts go straight =
up and down, no pivoting, no arcs."

But Dale says "The Stwy factory wippen is a great part & it fits every =
piano they ever made without having to change buttons". I'd wager that =
Dale knows a thing or two more than this pianist, but there must be some =
underlying facts to account for the pianist's opinion. Thoughts?

Meanwhile I will certainly get the Renner kit, look up Ed McMorrow, and =
study a bit about action geometry. The client doesn't want to do the =
major work just yet, and is delighted with the improvements I have made =
... "The piano sounds beautiful after your work, much more even, less =
harsh, and the action is much, much smoother and lighter. I've been =
making some notes about some slight variations in voicing, but overall =
it's a huge improvement."

  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Erwinspiano@aol.com=20
  To: pianotech@ptg.org=20
  Sent: Saturday, May 01, 2004 8:20 AM
  Subject: Re: 1906 Stwy wippens


  In a message dated 4/30/2004 7:31:07 PM Pacific Standard Time, =
jkanter@rollingball.com writes:
      ----- Original Message -----=20
      From: jason kanter=20
      To: Pianotech=20
      Sent: Friday, April 30, 2004 9:33 PM
      Subject: 1906 Stwy wippens


      Client has a beautiful 1906 Steinway B. It will need new hammers =
and shanks (misshapen knuckles). The wippens have moth damage, and they =
are the old jack style that had no jack positioning screw. The capstans =
are set at an angle. Will new wippens fit this old action? Or should I =
refurb the old wippens?

      Jason
              Jason
     The Stwy factory wippen is a great part & it fits every piano they =
ever made withoput having to change buttons
     DAle
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