Rotating pinblock

[Ron Nossaman]

>Just because I named the piano company doesn't mean that I don't value 
>your opinion as to the serious nature of this problem.  I would like to 
>hear from some of you about how your would handle the problem.  What if 
>you saw this in another brand that maintains a warranty program.  Would 
>you think that it needs to be replaced? I really do want some opinions. TP

I've looked at a lot of new Baldwin grand tuning pins through the years, 
and to my recollection, I've only seen one new one that didn't have a 
number of pins riding the plate. It isn't a warranty problem, because it 
has never been considered by Baldwin to be a problem. You aren't likely to 
get them to change their minds now. Forget it, and concentrate on trying to 
turn the pins instead.

I am curious, though. A couple of years ago, they started drilling the 
plate holes bigger to avoid this non-problem. Have they since become less 
careful with the pinblock drilling to compensate?

If more are riding the plate now than were when it was delivered, perhaps 
there's a gap between the plate flange and the block and the block is 
sliding back. The pins likely aren't migrating in that granite block, and I 
can't see the block rotating relative to the plate because they're screwed 
together. To rotate, one side has to move higher or lower than the other, 
which would require the block separating from the plate webbing and would 
pull the tuning pin down, putting the coil on the plate surface.

In any case, it's highly unlikely they will replace it, considering all the 
others still out there looking very much the same.

Ron N