Grand Regulation: Key Dip - Part 1

Grand Regulation: Key Dip - Part 1

About five years into my becoming a piano technician, my teacher flipped me a job, a fund-raiser at a well-known museum featuring a 19th century German upright from its collection. The case and action, including original ivory keytops, were admirably crafted and pristine in appearance – a joy to meet – but this instrument completely did not play.
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Prepare Well and Pay Attention

I have what might seem an odd first step suggestion for grand regulating: Pre-lift wire. This is a strategy to end up with no underlifted strings.

When a piano is newly strung, the steel wire, being stiff, takes rounded curves, not corners, as it passes bearing points. Each time the wire is pitch-raised it refreshes these curves a little, particularly at agraffes and Capo D’Astro bars. A conscientious technician will settle the wire and mate strings with hammers, a process well-known to us all. Touch hammer to unison strings, pluck the strings, and if any ring, lift the others with a stringing hook until all are equally muted.

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