Music Trade Review

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PRACTICAL PIANO TUNING
By ALEXANDER HART
Formerly with Steinway & Sons Tuning Department, Instructor in
Piano Tuning, Teachers College, Columbia University, N. Y.
Registered Member of the
National Association of Piano Tuners
Notes of Interest on Tuning
1VTEXT comes the pin moving around
the bushing (See 4-A, Diagram 1)
because one side of bushing the pin
may ride freely, and the other side ex-
tremely tight.
To rectify this you can use a reamer.
See Diagram 2 and dilate the bushing
that is tight. Then burnish to smooth
out the bushing. Then use your thumb-
nail for trying the right amount of
ease required, for the jack must repeat
...X
id
3
DIAGRAM 3A
properly without contributing sluggish-
ness in any form.
Remarks:
Oldtimers in the business can make
one jack do in place of another, where-
as those new in the trade are not all
adapted to real craftmanship. Likewise,
the jacks on Diagram 4 are not all
alike, and cannot be made at will. They
must go through a careful manufactur-
ing procedure. Therefore, all the more
one should never be without such vital
material. So much for repinning.
Let us put the whippen back in its
place, and see what we have accom-
plished.
As an example, there may be some
adjusting to do. To have the proper
tools at our command for grand action
regulating is a second requirement and
also a time saver.
The writer is happy to regard action
regulating as belonging to one of the
fine arts.
Presuming the whippen is all ready,
installed in the action and all ready
to try out the movement, now comes
the tests.
Although I know most of the readers
of the Music Trade REVIEW are fami-
lies with regulating requirements, we
will summarize the parts most likely
to be in need of adjustment.
28
It is a sure bet, to first see that the
hammer is in line with the others. See
No. 4 Diagram.
This is rectified by turning the cap-
stan screw either to the right or left,
for in so doing the hammer is raised
or lowered.
The capstan screw has another mis-
sion, i.e., to regulate the height of ham-
mer to string, which is one-eighth of an
inch, or, according to what the blow
may be, it is usually set at 1% inches.
NOTE: A distinct and individual
moving part of the whippen is the rep-
etition lever or balancer, the knuckle
always rests on it, and not on the jack
(No. 19, Diagram 3). There need be
only a paper thickness of play. This
operation is controlled by the repeti-
tion lever screw (No. 233, Diagram 3).
Experienced action regulators know
and understand the important relation-
ship that exists between the working
parts of the action movements.
The whippen you have just put in
place, must also have the jack not too
far back, but about mid-center, because
if it is back too far the hammer might
block, and the repetition would be
marred if too forward.
Capstan Screw Driver, polished, best quality steel,
Steinway Capstan Screw Regulator, 7'.i in. long
Regulating Screw Driver, in three lengths, far Handle
Grand Action Regulating Screw Driver. 5 inche
Grand Action Screw Driver. 4 in. Each
DIAGRAM 4—REGULATING TOOLS
This condition is also regulated with
a jack button (Diagram 3, No. 23).
You will observe a part of the key is
under whippen for space convenience,
besides most of you are familiar with
the key mechanism.
No. 5 is the jack in correct position,
the outer part in line with the roller,
and it also shows how it rises and comes
1
DIAGRAM 3
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, SEPTEMBER, 1952