Hi Joe, Thank you, exactly the information I was looking for. The fact that they apparently do not work on a console, does create a dilemma. I used to use the previous ones, on both console and the full size actions. The spinet ones, probably won't be long enough for the console sized action. I think I will err on the side of caution, and order from Pianotek, who still seem to carry the original design. Yamaha and the Asian manufacturers seem to have stuck to the older design, they must have felt that improvement wasn't needed. It was mentioned in an earlier e-mail that the new design will last longer. I don't believe long life was a problem with the old design, that I have been using since 1975, with no call backs. The only problem I had with the old design, was entanglement problem. Do the newer springs fit the wippens with no problem? I have never had a problem installing the older design with a pair of tweezers, not even removing the action for the odd replacement. For a full replacement, I will normally remove the action, and ream the cavity, to remove the old glue. It appears that not that many people on the list have used them enough to give an opinion. Probably because they just work on grands. :-) :-) John Ross Windsor, Nova Scotia On 11-Mar-10, at 8:23 PM, Joe DeFazio wrote: >> From: John Ross <jrpiano at win.eastlink.ca> >> Date: March 11, 2010 5:06:30 PM EST > >> It is from Schaff, item number 527A, upright jack spring. >> The physical properties are equal taper from top and bottom, to a >> compacting of a couple of coils, in the centre, like each end. >> The old springs were a double at each end, and the winding went >> wider in the middle. > > Hi John, > > I have not installed these springs. However, I have had the > experience of uninstalling them and replacing them with traditional > springs. The situation is a little unusual, so please keep that in > mind while making judgements about its validity to your situation. > > I was called in after an unsatisfactory action rebuild by another > technician. The piano was (I believe) a Chickering console. > Someone had installed these springs (which are for a full sized > upright action, not a console), and the performance was terrible. > Unlike a typical jack spring, these tend to bend in the middle and > want to fold into a ">" shape when compressed. In this case, since > they were clearly oversized, as they bent to one side or another > they would rub against anything else nearby, such as the jack > flange, the backcheck wire or bridle wire. This caused not only > noise, but friction as well, and the owner was not able to play with > any control at mp or softer. > > Now, please do keep in mind that these were installed in the wrong > type of action (a console), and do consider the fact that they might > perform far better in their intended role. However, in taking them > out and playing with them, their propensity to fold into a ">" shape > was clearly evident even when less compressed, as they would be when > properly installed in a full sized upright. This was especially > true when my fingertips (simulating the wippen body and the > underside of the jack tender) were not parallel, which certainly > happens as the jack rotates through its motion cycle. Traditional > jack springs may slightly bulge in use (i.e. - deviate from a > straight line), but their bulge usually takes the form of a gentle > arc segment that will not touch any other action parts. > > After playing with them a while, I decided to avoid these springs, > and have ordered traditional Pianotek springs instead since. > Because this situation was unusual, I am not necessarily > recommending that you also avoid them. I am just sharing my > experience and observations. > > Joe DeFazio > Pittsburgh -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech.php/attachments/20100311/a2386ab7/attachment.htm>
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