Hello.

My tech showed me how to adjust the capspin, hope I said that right, and he said adjust it enough so the hammer is not off the rail. Is there anything else I need to look at while doing this? I started adjusting and I am getting the "slack" pretty much all out, and I can really feel a difference in the playing.

Thanks

Mike

Hello Mike

I guess 'capstan' is the word. Are you playing an upright or a grand?

Regards

Mark

An upright. Sorry about the word.

Mike

[Here's my new plan -- read carefully first, then respond after thinking -- sorry]

I like to have just a "smidge" of movement...
You should be able to see the backcheck move the slightest amount before the hammer begins to move.

Another way to check is to pull backwards (toward you) on the rest rail and see if all of the hammers move a bit and then stop together.

You want the jack to be able to slip back under the butt - even during slow movement - so the hammers need to be supported by the rail in an upright.

The capstan adjustment is the most important adjustment of either a grand or vertical piano and it is also the adjustment most frequently needed. Often, it is really the only adjustment needed. That's what makes me wonder why any piano tech would leave it undone, especially if it is evident that the piano isn't playing properly. It would have taken the tech only about 10-15 minutes at the most to adjust all the capstans, so even charging $1 a minute for the extra time shouldn't have been an issue.

Often, however, both the front and rear flanges also need to be tightened. Tightening the rear flanges, also the screws which hold the action rails to the brackets on either a grand or vertical will also affect the capstan adjustment. I would suggest looking for another piano tech next time who is willing to be more thorough in his service practice. There are too many people who want to "Justoon" (that's the way Wisconsinites sound when they say it) and it's not good for either the pianos or the their customers, let alone the piano service trade.

Ron's advice was good however the rest rail of a vertical is not always in the right place. If it is, adjusting the capstan to a point where there is the slightest hint (but no more) of lost motion is good. This should also cause the hammer to "check" (meaning to be caught) at about a thumb's width from the string. The damper should also begin to lift when the key is half way depressed. The most important item to look for, however is how far the jack trips out from the hammer butt when the key is fully depressed. Ideally, it should just barely clear the butt, leaving a very small space between the back of the jack and the butt. (A recent PTG Journal article shows this). Even still contacting the butt is ok but if it doesn't move enough, the hammer butt will dance or "bobble" on the butt. If this happens, it means the rest rail needs to be shimmed with a thin piece of felt. If the keys are unlevel looking, they need to be leveled and this should also take care of the problem of too little aftertouch, which is what causes the "bobbling" hammer effect.

The more common problem however is that the rest rail, especially on newer verticals is set a little too short. If all you do is take up the lost motion, there may be too much aftertouch. Seasonal variations sometimes create lost motion in winter which largely disappears in summer. There can be many factors involved and that is why it really takes the judgment of an experienced technician to know when and how much to adjust the capstans and also whether there are other factors influencing the amount of aftertouch.

When a vertical action is optimally regulated, the jack will just barely clear the hammer butt when the key is fully depressed and as soon as pressure is released from the key, the jack will immediately pop right back under the jack. This will happen even if there is no lost motion at all. But not all verticals have their keys weighted properly so, sometimes, leaving a little lost motion is the only choice one can make to have the action work reliably.

Mike, could you please tell us what make and model piano you have, whether you are the original owner, how old the piano is, has the action ever been removed for flange tightening and also what part of the country you live in?

How long it takes depends on a number of things, especially whether the capstans have holes, square shoulders, rockers, or the variety used in spinets. It is dangerous to generalize.

Adjusting the hammer rail too much can really wreak havoc with the dampers. In short, if you are not really certain what you are doing is correct, do not do it. Also, the adjustment on grands is different from uprights.

My piano is a Kimball upright, about a 75 or 76. Not in good shape. I got it from a church for $200. I don't want to make my tech sound like he did not want to do the job, but he had somewhere to be. He knows that I don't want to spend a whole lot of money on this piano considering the shape it is in. I just want it to be good enough so I can still improve my playing untill I can get a new one hopefully pretty soon.

I like playing Bach, so I want a light action with no aftertouch. I posted a question about Gould's piano action, and was thinking about trying something like his to see if I like it.

After the capstan adjustment it seemed to make the action "heavier", and my hands where getting fatigued rather quickly. I am use to it now though, the fatigue is not a problem anymore. But I would like to make it a little lighter.

Mike

One can hardly be choosy about the touch of a cheap piano that is in bad shape, especially if you are reluctant to invest.
It is quite a leap from there to Gould's playing of Bach, isn't it?

The capstan adjustment took up the lost motion and now you feel the full weight of the action. This will build up your muscles, which you will need to have the control for playing anything with precision.

Given that you are on a limited budget, I think you are on the right track. But remember that it takes more than a few tricks a technician can show you to turn a sow's ear into a silk purse, if indeed it is possible at all.

Supply, oh yes I know that is a great leap. That was just an idea of an action I might like because of the music I like to play. I have only been playing a year so I have a long way to go as far as technique. I really don't expect to do any more serious work on this piano, other than keeping playable. I will invest in a new piano soon though.

Thanks for everyones help.

Mike