[pianotech] 1965 Yamaha G-1

[Ron Nossaman]

Barbara Richmond wrote:
> Greetings list:
> 
> These pictures are from a Yamaha G-1, made in 1965 which was recently 
> donated to a church to be used in the choir room.  They will have the 
> option to spiff-up or rebuild the action, since the organist isn't sure 
> they can come up with enough money for a new set of hammers/shanks. In 
> the meantime, have any of you repinned greenish Yamaha action centers 
> and did they stay free--or is it only the S&S green centers that seize 
> up again?  I wince at repinning a set of hammer flanges with end-of-life 
> hammers on them, but something needs to be done if they aren't going to 
> be replaced. 

I'd shrink them first. It's quick and cheap, and will buy them 
time to decide to do something better. Or it'll last forever 
and you won't get to make any money on it, but at least you 
won't waste theirs.

The hammers look to me like the work of the rare and elusive 
unichordist, keeping time with the left foot instead of the 
right.


> There are a couple splits in the high treble bridge.  I was thinking of 
> using epoxy--is there a best way of damming the sides of the cap (type 
> of tape?) so the glue doesn't just run out?

With the grain angle of that bridge cap, the only reason it 
didn't "Knabe" clear off is that it's half the depth of the 
bridge. I'd tape the end closed and CA it. It's not going 
anywhere. I think what Yamaha did here was what Baldwin did 
in their verticals. That super thick cross grain cap is dried 
way down before assembly and compression crowns the bridge.

Ron N