[pianotech] Young Chang & Weber Grands: ActionClicking/KnockingUpon Quick Key Release

Randy Chastain Randy_Chastain at sbcglobal.net
Sun Oct 4 14:16:29 MDT 2009


Right on David. I have walked into "good" piano stores and found this  
problem. Stupid me would stop and tell them the problem and their  
reply was that their technician had just worked on it!

Randy Chastain
Golden Gate Chapter


On Oct 4, 2009, at 12:16 PM, David Andersen wrote:

> Yes, probably too hard, but also too far away from the button after  
> escapement at full key travel---it makes a "pock" sound. It happens  
> on all grand actions to a certain degree when the jack position  
> moves too far back. Simply bring the back edge of the jack slightly  
> proximal (forward) from the back edge of the knuckle core, make sure  
> the note isn't "cheating," and do a test blow. The noise will  
> disappear or be greatly diminished. Also, the repetition spring must  
> be regulated properly---not too weak or strong.
>
> Any sensitive player will hear and feel the "pock" sound on a soft  
> blow. I have been a wizard and a hero to players many times by  
> simply doing a simple procedure that nobody ever suggested before:  
> regulating the jack position. I've had so-called top techs tell me  
> "it's just normal action noise" in response to my questions and  
> comments. No, it's not. Actions need to be regulated.
>
> The aluminum rails magnify the noise, IMO. AND--Servinsky's right;  
> many times the knuckle core can make noise somehow. Wierd but true.
>
> Hope this helps.
> David Andersen
>
>> I agree that the back rail felt did seem rather hard/dense when I  
>> tested the keys.  But that’s not what I’m hearing, because, as  
>> stated in my original description of the problem, I hear it even  
>> when the key is only partially release, i.e., the back of the key  
>> isn’t even touching the back rail cloth.  I believe Ed Sutton in  
>> the CAUT list hit the nail on the head, confirming my own  
>> suspicion, that it is the jack regulating buttons that are too  
>> hard.  -Paul
>> -- 
>> Paul Milesi
>>
>> From: William Truitt <surfdog at metrocast.net>
>> Reply-To: <pianotech at ptg.org>
>> Date: Sun, 4 Oct 2009 13:04:33 -0400
>> To: <pianotech at ptg.org>
>> Subject: Re: [pianotech] Young Chang & Weber Grands: ActionClicking/ 
>> KnockingUpon Quick Key Release
>>
>> I’m with Joe Goss on this one.  The back rails on these pianos can  
>> tend to be noisy, because the keybeds themselves can resonate more  
>> that the average bear.  So anything you can do in the way of non- 
>> compacted back rail felt is a plus.
>>
>> Will Truitt
>
>
>> On Behalf Of Joe Goss
>> Sent: Sunday, October 04, 2009 12:17 PM
>> To: pianotech at ptg.org
>> Subject: Re: [pianotech] Young Chang & Weber Grands: ActionClicking/ 
>> KnockingUpon Quick Key Release
>> Hi,
>>
>> Have you checked the back rail cloth and the way it is glued down?
>>
>> Joe Goss BSMusEd MMusEd RPT
>> imatunr at srvinet.com
>> www.mothergoosetools.com <http://www.mothergoosetools.com>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>
>>> From: Tom Driscoll <mailto:tomtuner at verizon.net>
>>>
>>> Paul,
>>>
>>> Ditto to the comments so far. I had a client just yesterday with a  
>>> Samick-10 year old grand. Same symptom.     This time it was not  
>>> the returning jack punching which I have found to be a culprit  
>>> over the years.Sometimes worn -over eased balance rail holes can  
>>> contribute to noisy return, but not the case with this Samick.
>>>
>>> I needled a sample knuckle with some improvement (After tightening  
>>> screws of course) Removed a whippen and needled the whip cushion  
>>> on the same note .
>>>
>>> noise was diminished but to my beginning pianist client even with  
>>> improvement the piano is considered unplayable. She has decided to  
>>> practice on a Yamaha GH1 that was part of her new home purchase  
>>> because it does not make this noise. It does however sound like a  
>>> banjo that  has been outside for two years.
>>>
>>> I digress here, but I was called to tune both with her intent to  
>>> sell the Samick (In this case superior to the GH1 in every way)  
>>> because it had a small chip in one keytop. I explained about the  
>>> tone-tuning instability of the GH1 and suggested that the GH1  
>>> would be the piano to sell and lets not tune it until the weather  
>>> changes.Here in New England the tenor on these  will go 30 cents   
>>> wild when a cloud passes overhead.
>>>
>>> I think she considers the Yamaha to be the better piano because  
>>> the teacher likes it and I can't completely cure the noise in the  
>>> Samick. (the teacher is a very nice and has me tune her upright  
>>> every 10 years--No kidding)
>>>
>>>   A day in the life.
>>>
>>>    Tom Driscoll
>>>
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>
>>>> From: pmc033 at earthlink.net
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Hi, Paul:
>>>>
>>>>    I agree with Tom about the knuckles, but you might also look  
>>>> at the jack rest cushions.  They get compacted and become noisy.   
>>>> In some of these, I had to needle them with a chopstick voicing  
>>>> tool.  Once I actually had to replace them with (yikes!) butt  
>>>> felt squares.  You can see if the problem is those rest felts by  
>>>> flicking the jack tips.  If they make that sound, you found your  
>>>> culprit.  The sound will reverberate with the help of the  
>>>> aluminum rail.
>>>>
>>>>    Have fun.
>>>>
>>>>    Paul McCloud
>>>>
>>>>    San Diego
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>>
>>>>> From: Paul Milesi <mailto:paul at pmpiano.com>
>>>>>
>>>>> To: PTG Pianotech List <mailto:pianotech at ptg.org>
>>>>>
>>>>> Sent: 10/04/2009 1:07:53 AM
>>>>>
>>>>> Subject: [pianotech] Young Chang & Weber Grands: Action Clicking/ 
>>>>> KnockingUpon Quick Key Release
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> I am now responsible for servicing three 1997 Weber grands at  
>>>>> Howard U, ranging in size from the 4’11” WG-50 to WG-57 (5’7”)  
>>>>> and WG-60 (6’1”).  These three are now in pretty good shape  
>>>>> overall, but need regulation.  There are others on campus I  
>>>>> haven’t seen yet, but have heard they’re in bad shape.
>>>>>
>>>>> Tonight I went to a hotel which is a private client of mine and  
>>>>> re-visited a 5’2” Young Chang G-157 for the first time in quite  
>>>>> a long while.  I was struck by the similarities -- same problems  
>>>>> I’m having with the Webers, which my research had told me were  
>>>>> made by Young Chang in Inchon, South Korea.
>>>>>
>>>>> All these pianos have a “noisy” action!  At first I thought it  
>>>>> might be worn key bushings or loose wippen or hammer flange  
>>>>> screws.  But I’ve now taken the time to eliminate the key and  
>>>>> the flanges.  The noise appears to be either (1) the repetition  
>>>>> or jack hitting the knuckle; or (2) the jack regulating button  
>>>>> hitting the stop.  The knocking/clicking occurs when any key is  
>>>>> released quickly, but not even necessarily all the way up.  I  
>>>>> believe it happens when the key is released enough to let the  
>>>>> jack return.  I’m now wondering if a third possibility is the  
>>>>> spring in the little hole of the jack?  If so, what’s the fix?
>>>>>
>>>>> Please, this is driving me crazy!  As a pianist and technician,  
>>>>> I want to understand what’s happening here, and this is  
>>>>> frustrating me.  I believe these pianos can be regulated to make  
>>>>> them a lot better, satisfactory practice instruments, but before  
>>>>> I waste a lot of time, I’m wondering if this problem is somehow  
>>>>> endemic to these instruments?  Can this noise on every key be  
>>>>> alleviated?  Does it have anything to do with aluminum rails?   
>>>>> HELP!
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>> Paul
>>>>> -- 
>>>>> Paul Milesi
>>>>> Registered Piano Technician (RPT)
>>>>> Piano Technicians Guild
>>>>> (202 ) 667-3136
>>>>> (202) 246-3136 Cell
>>>>> E-mail:  paul at pmpiano.com
>>>>> Website:  http://www.pmpiano.com
>>>>>
>>>>> Address:
>>>>> 3000 7th Street NE, Apt. 204
>>>>> Washington, DC 20017-1402
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> No virus found in this incoming message.
>>>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
>>>> Version: 8.5.420 / Virus Database: 270.14.3/2412 - Release Date:  
>>>> 10/03/09 18:34:00
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> No virus found in this outgoing message.
>>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
>>> Version: 8.5.420 / Virus Database: 270.14.3/2413 - Release Date:  
>>> 10/04/09 06:20:00
>>
>

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech.php/attachments/20091004/daecb29d/attachment.htm>


More information about the pianotech mailing list

This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC