i have 1973 45 inch steinway studio...keys
often hangup on repetitions...also some
strings continue to sound when loud pedal
is off...had work done on it, but problems
persist...action feels lumpy when i play...
also would new hammers soften the tone...
what soft hammers do you recommend...is a
steinway studio worth some rebuilding? who
do you recommend?

Have your piano checked out by one or two
of your area's top technicians! They are all
listed in the Yellow pages, especially if
they are members of the Guild!
A couple of professional inspections and
repair estimates should shed more light
on your question. All these matters really
need an "on the spot" check up! Good luck!
Norbert Marten
www.heritagepianos.com

Sounds like you're suffering from verdigris, which Steinways from that era were prone to develop. Most all of your problems can be taken care of by a competent tech going through the action for you. If this is all that's wrong with the piano, it should be worth doing. As for the hammers, if they aren't deeply grooved, the tech can reshape them and voice them for you and they should be just fine. Sure is cheaper than a new set of hammers!


Chuck

chuck,
thank you...what is "verdigris"...what are the symptoms...why were uprights around
1975 subject to that problem...what is usually required to correct this?
thanks...

Make sure that your technician is using
Pro-Tek lubricant. also please install a Dampp-Chaser rod with a Humidistat.
The vertigre is coming from copper in the brass interacting with oxygen in the air within the medium of the felt action center bushings.. ( Green stuff messing up the bushings)

Protek will help, and the Dampp-chaser and Stat will help. Make sure that each action center(in a flange mounted on the action rail) ((where the brass is)) is lubricated twice AND moved to free it up. It also drives some of the green stuff out of the side of the bushing....

I just had my used 54" upright tuned and I asked him if the action ever needed maintenance or oil? He said not really but sometimes on certain parts. Where do you put the protek? Will this help the fluidity of the action. Mine is ok for it's 70 years but I would like to get it the best it can be adjustment wise without a total rebuild?

My tuner made no comments and did nothing to the action or hammer strike so I guess it was in the acceptible range. If I want it helped a bit is this "regulation"? Do they have to take the action out to perform this? I would of like this done if possible.

What do I ask for and is it feasible or cost wise on an old piano?

Thanks

Littlebit: your piano action can be
"regulated", but many tuners don't want to
take the time, or don't have the expertise
to do this...it's often best for them to
remove the action and take it to their shop
for a period of time to work on the regulation...if you get the right technician,
he can give you an estimate on the cost,
and whether it is likely to make an improvement...what year is your piano?

That's the big question age, I'd guess 1910-
1915 according to patent information, but I also found a date cast into all three of the pedal mechanisms
June
28 4...could this mean June 4, 1928?

It's a LEN Pratte built in Montreal 54" upright serial number 3030.
the Pierce Atlas has no information about serial numbers. So age is hard to determine.


The action was made by Otto Higel Toronto.

If they have to take it out then it's a pretty big job, I guess I'll let it settle in with it's new tune and see how everything goes before I spend additional money.

Thanks,
Littlebit

[ January 09, 2002: Message edited by: Littlebit ]