KS 29: Where Rubber Meets the Road (Stiff Frame)
By Christopher0 comments

KS 29: Where Rubber Meets the Road (Stiff Frame)

I'd like to briefly look again at where keyframe meets keybed. It's the foundation of our regulating, but because not much of what's at play can actually be seen or directly accessed, we are challenged to apply what we think and see what happens. And thinking evolves. I am familiar with at least four categories of keyframe bedding: the shimmed and securely fastened upright, the full-fitting/no-glidebolt grand, the stiff Steinway/Mason style grand, and the more flexible Yamaha/Kawai style grand. The upright keyframe has...
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KS 28: Gauging the Plan - Part 2
By Christopher0 comments

KS 28: Gauging the Plan - Part 2

So next, the worn backchecks come out and new backchecks go in. WNG backchecks are very height-sensitive with their checking surface abbreviated for better clearance and closer-to-string catching. To determine their optimum height, I compared old and new and ran samples. The original backchecks were higher in the bass and lower in the treble to work with hammer tails longer in the bass and shorter in the treble. Since I'll be custom boring the replacement hammers, I'll make all tails one inch. And all the new backchecks will then be the same height.  I removed the old backchecks using a shop-scrap jig and pry bar, then drilled holes larger for greater-diameter WNG backcheck wires.
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