Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
DECEMBER 24, 1927
The Music Trade Review
23
The Technical and Supply Department — (Continued from page 21)
be tapped from end to end with a piece of wood adopted by most shops that have settled upon in the felt-covered tabs about one sixteenth of
covered with buckskin. In this way any loose- a measured distance is, as everyone knows, an inch. The damper stop rail may be ad-
jus-ted by operating the damper pedal and the
ness of the key frame, due to its warping or five-eighths of an inch.
striking the black keys in the bass. If the stop
to the key bottom being sprung, may be de-
18. Regulating Hammer Drop
tected. Directions are given for placing the
The Steinway measurement is 1-16 inch from lail is set aright, the dampers corresponding to
key frame in case knocking following the test the string. That is to say, the hammer drop the bass black keys should move slightly, but
on the front edge of the key frame should dis- screw which passes through the hammer flange the others throughout should remain quiet.
close a loose fit between frame and keybottom. is to be regulated so that the repetition lever
The pedals (24) are now to be tried for
The touch regulating screws (9) are to be stops when the hammer is 1-16 inch from the squeaks, etc., and lastly (25) the key stop-rail
readjusted by screwing them down one by one, -string. It is suggested that the extreme ham- above the keys is to be adjusted to stand one
beginning at the treble end and pounding with mers of each action section be tested in this sixteenth of an inch above the black keys.
the same stick on the key stop rail above the way when the action is in the piano, and that
I have given this brief summary so that
keys, until the touch regulating screw has then the action be removed and placed on a readers who are acquainted with grand action
come into contact with the keybottom. If now perfectly level bench, while the remaining drop practice may make any comparisons that occur
the latter be turned still further in continued screws are regulated accordingly. This is a to them. Readers who do not understand the
pounding will produce a knock. Then let the very important point and one which very few regulation of the grand action are advised by
screw be turned backward, continuing the tuners seem to understand properly.
me to write to Steinway & Sons, Steinway Hall,
pounding on >the rail, until the knock ceases.
109 West Fifty-seventh street, New York, for
19. Repetition Spring Adjustment
The screw will then be in the right position.
In order to test the .strength of the spring a copy of the pamphlet which will be sent
Special directions are also given for setting the in each repetition lever the key is to be struck, without charge.
extreme bass and extreme treble touch regu- allowing the hammer to catch in the back
Some Day?
lating screws after the first adjustment has check, and then is to be gradually released. If
Some day, perhaps, Suinway & Sons will give
been made as above.
the repetition spring now carries the hammer us a definite and authoritative treatise on tone
upwards
steadily, without either lag or jump, regulating, so that at least its processes may
10. Hammer Shank Leveling
Hammer shanks are to be leveled so that the spring is right. The treble springs need to be explained and understood. Tone regulators
are born I think, rather than made, but every
each stands one-eighth of an inch above its be slightly stronger than those in the bass.
20. Dampers
tuner, even so, would be immeasurably bene-
cushion.
Damper lifter wires are to be adjusted so fited by learning what really is and is not done
11. Key Leveling
The instructions here are very interestingly that they rise and fall without either sticking by a house which for two generations has
put. From the keybottom to the underside of or rattling. The dampers are to travel evenly, been recognized to possess a mastery of the
the overhang of the ivory at the front of a and lift evenly too, save that the wedge art of toning hammers.
Steinway grand key the distance is correctly dampers in the bass are to be bent so that
2-5^ inches. If now the extreme bass and ex- the rear edge of each lifts a little before the
Correspondence
treme treble keys be carefully set to carry out front edge.
The sostenuto (middle pedal) action is to be is solicited and should be addressed to William
this measurement, the remainder of the key-
board can be adjusted to level by means of a adjusted (22) so that the revolving rail catches Braid White, 5149 Agatite avenue, Chicago.
light straight edge laid across from key No. 1
to key No. 88, touching each of the latter. The
center of the keyboard, however, is to be just
a little higher than the extremities, and ac-
cordingly the straight edge is to be made very
slightly hollow in its middle region. I wonder
how many readers of this page were aware Visiting Members of the Association Inspect Plant in Hammond After Being Enter-
of this last point.
tained by the Officials of the Company—Short Meeting Held
13. Touch Laying
The keys are spaced in the usual manner I
ILL., December 16.—The mem- vision has decided to hold the next meeting at
(12) and then the touch depth is adjusted with
bers of the Western Division of the Na- the laboratory, 5149 Agatite avenue, and take
the action in the piano so that its depth is as tional Piano Technicians' Association were the up the problems for the new year with a view
nearly as possible in each case .391 inch in- guests to-day of the Straube Piano Co., Ham- of making use of this available apparatus.
stead of .375 inch, which would be the exact mond, Ind.
At the invitation of President Jacobson and
¥% inch. The instruction states that it is better The delegation gathered at one o'clock at Superintendent Betz, the division then ad-
to lay the touch slightly deeper, as it always
flattens out with use. Although the method of
doing this is not described in detail, readers
will understand that the best and simplest tool
for the purpose is a wooden block of suitable
size made carefully to the exact thickness called
for and fitted with a hole so that it can be
dropped over the front rail pin under each key.
If then the key at rest sticks up there is too
much punching under it. If the key can be
pressed down when the block is in place there
is not enough punching under it.
17. Hammer to Back Check
The action should be removed from the bench
(14) which must be actually and certainly level.
The back checks are then squared off, so that
each hammer catches squarely in the center of
Plant of the Straube Piano Co., Hammond, Ind.
each check. (15) Then the touch is tested on Levent's Fish House, where a fish dinner was
the bench to make sure that it is the same served, and were heartily welcomed by the of- journcd for a trip tkuiugh the large Straube
as it was when the action was in the piano ficers of the Straube Piano Co., including E. factory. It is a massive four-story structure of
brick and concrete several hundred feet in
(16). This last point is very important.
\i. Jacobson, president; C. H. J. Thorby, vice- length. The most favorable working conditions
The instruction states that the Steinway prac- president ; A. T. Schuldes, treasurer, and super- are given with plenty of light, air and the most
tice is to avoid any definite measurement of intendent W. G. Betz.
effective modern mechanical devices which at-
the distance from its string at which each
Following the dinner, a short meeting was tracted the interest of the visiting piano tech-
hammer should catch its check on the rebound. held. Chairman Wm. Braid White, who re- nicians.
Instead the effort is made to have this take cently returned from the East where he visited
Among the devices which demonstrated new
place as high as possible in the treble and the National President, A. K. Gutsohn, empha-
and
modern methods of piano building were a
1-16 inch deeper in the bass. The measurement sized the progress that the Western Division
vertical vise for gluing grand piano rims, and
has made during the past year in comparison a movable vise for sanding rims. This latter ma-
with the East. He also announced that he chine works in turntable fashion with the sander
now has at his laboratory new acoustical ap- standing in one position and turning the rim to-
Our BCW illustrated catalogue of Piaa* and
Player Hardware Ftlti and Toola ia new
paratus which will aid the body in continuing wards him while sanding the surface. There were
ready.
If you haven't received jreur copy
please let us know.
its investigation along scientific lines, including also many interesting operations in the player-
OTTO R. TREFZ, JR.
such instruments as the oscillograph and the action department as well as the other deoart-
1305-7-9 No. 27th St.
PMU., P«.
monochord. At Mr. White's invitation the di- :n.Ms lhat were visited.
Western Division of the Technicians
Visit the Straube Piano Co. Factory
Tuners and Repairers