Regulation cheating

[Alan Barnard]

1. Check to see if the jacks are just slow but physically able to return without adding a lot of sloppy lost motion. Pinning, lubrication, may be required.

2. Are the jacks binding when the keys are "bottoming out"? Have bugs or mice gotten to the front rail punchings, i.e., too much (sounds silly for a spinet but ...) aftertouch?

3. Don't alter the checking unless you know that is the problem or they are not checking correctly now. But short-checking will screw up repetition and can even cause hammer blocking against the strings.



My money would be on center-pin problems in hammers, butts, jacks, whippens .... bent, mislocated, too tight, corroded.



Alan Barnard

Salem, MO









Original message

From: "Michelle Smith" 

To: "Pianotech List" 

Received: 6/27/2007 9:09:55 AM

Subject: Regulation cheating





Hi everyone.  I would like to know your suggestions for “cheating” on regulation to improve the performance of a 1950s Baldwin drop action piano.  The customer doesn’t have the money for a full regulation.  She complains of poor repetition and keys bottoming out without making a tone.   



Shorten the hammer blow for more lost motion?  Alter the checking?



Thanks for any tricks you can share.  



Michelle Smith

Smith Piano Service

Bastrop, Texas 

(512) 466-0238

michelle at smithpianoservice.com
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