Baldwin spinet "lost motion" issue twice in one week....

[R Barber]

When I had that probelm- keys with 1/2 inch lost motion- I took whatever 
pointy tool was handy and pushed down the jack tender, so it popped out 
from behind the hammer butt where it gets stuck.  If an elbow went too 
low, or a bridle strap exploded, the whippen wouldn't pull back on the 
jack quick enough for it to clear that cube of felt on the hammer butt 
that it seems to jam against.  Once the jacks in place, and the elbow is 
ok, and it's bridle strap is ok, and then the lost motion adjustment is 
ok, and your key dip is ok, the jack should return ok.
On notes where the bridle strap is broken, the jacks will get jammed 
under the hammer butt when the elbow finally takes its final bow.
Rick Barber
Morgan Hill, CA

David Stahl wrote:
> You're right, but finding the reason that it's not tripping is the 
> problem. 
>  
> Thanks Rick.
>  
> Dave
> 
> */R Barber <bassooner42 at yahoo.com>/* wrote:
> 
>     Hey Dave!
>     On ye ole spinets I have found an unwieldy note or 2 like this. Usually
>     the jack is tripped or needs to be tripped, I don't remember which way
>     the lingo goes.
>     Rick Barber
>     Morgan Hill, CA
> 
>      > ...or "why I love spinet pianos!"
>      >
>      > First piano was in a multimillion dollar home. A little Baldwin
>     spinet, this one with inverted sticker type action. The lady had
>     purchased it for 400$ without any kind of consultation, and her
>     husband and five if his friends had toted it up the stairs and into
>     their castle. I was tuning away, and found one note that wouldn't
>     regulate. Everything was there, but the lost motion ate up about a
>     quarter inch of keydip. I looked for things that might be wedged in
>     there, but I could find nothing. And I didn't have time to pull the
>     action, having already spent most of the appointment pitch raising
>     the pso and vacuuming out the various places where who-knows-what
>     may have dwelt.
>      >
>      > Second piano, a just-delivered rental piano, had the same
>     symptoms--again on only one note--but it was one of the newer type
>     Baldwins with the rubber grommets hooked into the lifter fork, and
>     the plastic nut on top.
>      >
>      > I checked linkage as much as I could, but could find nothing
>     wedged anywhere on either instrument, though on the second one the
>     connecter to the elbow was sitting up too high. Very frustrating. I
>     explained to the owner and renter that this is one big reason why
>     spinets in general should be avoided.
>      >
>      > Anybody experienced this? Thoughts on why this might occur? I'm
>     convinced that there is something wedged inside that I can't see or
>     get to without yanking the action, but any suggestions are more than
>     welcome!
>      >
>      > Dave Stahl, RPT but humbled by Baldwins again
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Dave Stahl, RPT
> Dave Stahl Piano Service
> 650-224-3560
> Dstahlpiano.net <http://dstahlpiano.net/>
>  
> http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/daveswednesdayride/