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SUPPIY DEPARTMENT
William Braid Vftatejeehnical Editor
"Steinway Grand Action and Key Regu-
lation " a Most Valuable Publication
New Publication Designed for All Piano Tuners and Technicians Engaged in Tuning
and Regulating Steinway Pianos—A Review of Its Contents
T is, I suppose, unnecessary to say that the
times through which we are passing may
be viewed from more than one point of vi-
sion. Whatever causes, for example, one may
assign to the much greater interest in all techni-
cal matters and the much greater cordiality to-
wards the feelings and the opinions of the out-
side technician, which piano manufacturers are
showing, of the fact itself no one can have any
doubt. The piano manufacturer to-day who has
the most at stake is the very piano manufacturer
who most earnestly and sincerely is attempting
to establish himself in the good opinion of the
men who are responsible for the care of the
piano after it has left the factory.
Of course, one must not suppose that all the
reform has been on one side. The tuners and
technicians themselves have been improving
both their minds'and their dispositions. It is
probably true to say that never before have so
many tuners taken a living interest in the
fundamentals of tone production and in the fine
details of action regulating and mechanical ad-
justment. One only has to contemplate the
educational spectacle which now for some years
past has been the most striking feature of each
annual tuners' convention to perceive the truth
of what I am saying. The tuner to-day is
awake in every technical sense; and he is find-
ing, as might have been expected, that the
manufacturer is meeting him half way.
From Steinway
All this is brought much to mind by the
sight of a pamphlet entitled "Steinway Grand,
Key and Action Regulation" which issues with
the impress of Steinway Hall, and is addressed
to "all piano tuners and technicians engaged in
tuning and regulating Steinway pianos." It in-
cludes a simple and carefully thought out de-
scription of each of the twenty-five short proc-
esses through which a Steinway grand goes in-
the course of what is known as "fine regulat-
ing." The processes of action finishing and
regulating, as they are called, incident to the
adjustment of the action to the piano in the
first place and to the placement of the ham-
mers, dampers, etc., are, of course, not touched/
upon in this pamphlet, which deals entirely
'with the piano completed, just as the tuner
outside finds it.
That the Steinway house has seen fit to pub-/
lish this valuable little book must be a matter
for pleased congratulation on the part of all of
us. For a long time we have needed just such)
an authoritative pronouncement; and now we ;
have it. Certainly I can say for myself that?
many and many a time, when I was tuning out
in the country, my groping fingers and inquiring
mind would have welcomed a definite state-
ment as to some obscure point in the adjust-
jment of a Steinway grand action. Tn those days,
iiiias, most of us had to uncover the mvsteries bv
I
slow and painful experiment, not always, or
usually, to the benefit of the pianos. Even to-
day not half enough is known on the subject.
I shall here briefly discuss the points brought
up in the Steinway pamphlet. Readers who
are in possession of the paper read by Mr.
Werolin at the 1927 annual meeting of the Na-
tional l'iano Technicians' Association, under
the title "A Survey of Grand Action Regulating
Practice," will find much instruction in com-
paring the measurements given by him with
those contained in the pamphlet now under re-
view. The Werolin paper dealt with averages,
this one with a definite individual set of prac-
tices.
1. Key Easing
T h e gist of the instruction is that "there can
be a play at the top and b o t t o m of the front
pin, and a right and left play at the balance
pin, but there must be no forward m o v e m e n t
of the key." The importance is also stressed
of having a little play between the balance pin
and the key button.
2. Inspection of C e n t e r s
In dealing with the h a m m e r shank centers
the point is m a d e that the behavior of each can
be judged bv r e m o v i n g the flange from the
action rail and seeing w h e t h e r it (the flange)
drops when the screw is inserted into the screw
hole and its weight thus added to that of the
flange.
In handling a tight bushing, where the
fault is with the d o t h , the tuner is advised
to apply to the center a liquid made from three
parts of alcohol to one of water. A thin piece
of soft wood should be dipped into the mixture
and placed between the flanges where the cen-
ter pins are, so that a small d r o p shall be re-
leased to fall o n t o each center-pin hole. In
case of a very wet action the advice is to dry it
well in the sun or in a w a r m room, a n d then
apply a d r o p of pure paraffin oil at each of
the flanges in t h e same way as r e c o m m e n d e d
for the alcohol and water. R e p i n n i n g is ad
vised only in e x t r e m e cases, where all other
t r e a t m e n t has failed.
In dealing with the w o r k i n g of the jack the
point is made that the center should be quite
loose, just so that it will not actually rattle
On the other hand, the flange for the support
or wippen should be tighter, just loose enough
to d r o p when the weight of its screw is added
to its own weight.
3. Hammer to String Adjustment
In fitting the hammers to the strings it is
[essential, say the instructions, to see that all
(hammers above the bass section are fitted so
.that about one-third of the width of the felt
[extends beyond the three strings towards the
Itreble. On the other hand, the bass hammers
hould be fitted in the opposite way, so that
he treble edge I ouches the trebleward string
f each uni-on and about one-third the width
Manufacturers
581437th Ave.
Also—Felts and
Cloths, Furnished
in Any Quantity
TUNERS' TRADE SOLICITED
Woodside, L. I., N. T.
21
(Continued mi tinjc 23)
William Braid White
Associate, American Society of Mechanical
Engineers; Chairman, Wood Industries
Division, A. S. M. E.; Member, American
Physical Society; Member, National Piano
Technicians' Association.
Consulting Engineer to
the Piano Industry
Tonally and Mechanically Correct Scaloi
Tonal and Technical Surrey* of Product
Tonal Betterment Work In Factories
Reference* to manufacturer* of unquestioned
position la Industry
For particulars,
address
209 South State Street, CHICAGO
Fixes SCRATCHES, MARS, HOLES, Etc.
CAMPBELL'S Stick Shellac
The quickest, easiest way to perma-
nently repair damaged finishes. Melt-
ed in hole, dent or scratch, then
rubbed down and polished. Will not
shrink nor check and is extremely
tough. The easiest, quickest, most
economical and only permanently
satisfactory method to repair serious
Injury to any finish.
Stick Shellac color card and booklet "How
to Repair Varnished Surfaces" will be
sent you free upon request.
THE M. L. CAMPBELL COMPANY
Kansas City, Mo.
PIANO TECHNICIANS SCHOOL
{Under Y. M. C. A. Auspices')
oj
Punchings
Washers
BRIDLE STRAPS
5. Spacing Repetition Levers
These are to fit exactly under the hammer
knuckles a'nd must move straight up and down
without any side sway or diagonal motion.
7. Fitting Jack to Hammer Knuckle
All screws in the action are to be tightened
(6), and then each jack should be adjusted so
that its rear edge is in line with the center of
the wooden head of each knuckle or roller. The
repetition lever should also be adjusted so that
the upper edge of each jack shall just be in
contact with the knuckle (this is slightly dif-
ferent from the practice recommended by some
authorities, who prefer to have the jack just
a trace below the knuckle which rests on the
repetition lever).
In order to determine the proper height of
jack and repetition lever, the instruction is to
move the jack by pressing down on its tender
or shoulder, when the hammer head also
should be observed just barely to move. Hard
knuckles, in which the leather has become im-
pacted by dint of long use, are to be sought
for, and remedied by picking the leather with
tone-regulating needles. Care must be used
lest any knuckle so treated be caused to swell
out at the sides and rub against a neighbor.
8. Keyframe Adjustment
The large squarehead touch regulating
screws which pass through the balance rail are
to be loosened and the key blocks screwed
down. Then the edge of the key frame should
1008 West Eighth Street
George W. BraunsdorS, Inc.
Direct
of the felt protrudes on the bass side.
4. Letting Off Hammers
It is advised that all hammers be let off one-
sixteenth of an inch from the strings.
Practical Shop School Tuning, General Repairs,
Rebuilding
G HANDS—UPRIGHTS—PLAYERS
Send for catalog
The Y. M. C. A. Piano Technician* School
52nd and Sansom Streets.
Philadelphia, Pa.