Bechstein model V regulation

Zagozzie · Post by **Zagozzie** » 28 Feb 2007, 20:38

I recently had my model V Bechstein overhauled - rehammered and restrung - in England and had it shipped out to me. The restorer reckoned it one of the best Bechsteins he had ever worked on. But it arrived in unplayable state - a dozen or so hammers jamming in the treble - I had to adjust the checks to get them moving - but still the action remains very uneven and unreliable - I can feel every movment of the key and hammer - each one different - with the rattling sound of an old gun. As it is the keyboard rips my fingers to pieces, and the sound is constantly forte.

My question: as there is no one here with the expertise to work on this action, is there a manual or set of instruction that will let me have a go at it myself? Where might I acquire one?

Post by **Barrie Heaton** » 28 Feb 2007, 22:41

Zagozzie wrote:
My question: as there is no one here with the expertise to work on this action, is there a manual or set of instruction that will let me have a go at it myself? Where might I acquire one?

Sorry no step by step manual

Do you live in a dry place some of your problem sound like the action has dried out.

Will the person who did the work not come out to you to sort out the problems.

Barrie,

Barrie,

tuna · Post by **tuna** » 28 Feb 2007, 23:44

Hi Zag!

Where are you based? You don't mention this in your post,

T

Zagozzie · Post by **Zagozzie** » 01 Mar 2007, 09:51

Hi - I'm on Malta - Barrie - that's interesting about drying out - thought i might have been the opposite as its damp here during the winter months particularly

Zagozzie · Post by **Zagozzie** » 01 Mar 2007, 11:02

Tuna - thanks for your response - I am not happy about the standard of work here on Malta - a guy tuned for a concert for me a few weeks back - supposed to be THE one here - it was a Yamaha - big do with the President and invited guests. When I tried the piano it was not properly tuned - some badly singing/wailing notes - and two sticking keys - and the guy had only just left.

My V is/was a great piano - wonderful voice - and played well enough before the rebuild. Now it is absolute rubbish. Unplayable by any standard

Tom Tuner · Post by **Tom Tuner** » 01 Mar 2007, 20:13

Are there no competent technicians in Italy who ever come to Malta, or Brits on holiday? I know Malta is fairly populous, but are there sufficient pianos to keep a full-time tech employed?
Off-hand it sounds as though during the move the action parted company from the key-frame or at least shifted enough to cause the problems you describe. Check the alignment with the existing marks on the frame rails and be sure the screws ane snug if not drawn out of their holes.

Tom Tuner

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 01 Mar 2007, 21:51

Hmmm.

Sorry to hear of your trouble.

There's a growing trend of UK dealers sending old pianos to Malta for 'burial' now, where a few years ago it was old Walnut clunkers to Italy. Whilst I have no qualms about sending pianos past their sell-by-date to a country who was content to fob us off with rusty old Lancias in the '70s, and whose government is as corrupt as y'like, I draw the line at Malta to whom we owe a debt of gratitude!

The plus side of all this is that since there are regular shipments of pianos to Malta, it shouldn't be difficult to send your old Bechstein back to the restorer geezer here in Blighty who should put it right.

By whose standards is he a top Bechstein specialist? His own or yours?

Post by **Barrie Heaton** » 02 Mar 2007, 09:19

Zagozzie wrote:Hi - I'm on Malta - Barrie - that's interesting about drying out - thought i might have been the opposite as its damp here during the winter months particularly

It’s a lot drier than it is here. Take off the front panel play a bad note and look at the hammer, see if you can see any side movement – next test put your finger on the wooded part of the hammer head see if you can move it side ways you don’t need a lot of force – Next you will need a thin 8” blade flat screwdriver. Where you bent the checks back, you will see the jack, behind the jack at the top is the screw for the hammer you will need to trip the jack with your left hand and use the screwdriver to turn the screw, you will have to come in from the right of the jack taking care not to push the jack over to much (it’s a touch thing rather than a visual job) the above is for right-handed the other way round if you are left-handed

The piano sounding forte quite simply it has not been voiced Bechsteins need a lot of voicing model Vs uprights use a light soft hammer, modem hammers are too heavy and hard

You need to be taking to the guys who did the piano

Back in the 80s you only had one tuner, nice guy he use to come to the UK in his Volvo and drive back to Malta with one piano in the back and one on the roof rack but he was in 60's then

Barrie,

Zagozzie · Post by **Zagozzie** » 02 Mar 2007, 10:29

Barrie - thanks again - will take out the action and try and follow your instructons. This piano played well for an olden - before the work and te move out here - just had tired strings and needed new hammers. It's an old piano, of course, but it's soundboard is fine, and it remains full of life.

Don't suppose you remember the name of the guy who used to make the trips to the UK?

I have been talking to the guys that did the work in the UK and they reckon it was magnificent before it was despatched. Well...... Since, I have just emailed to ask him to come over and see to it. No response yet.

I very much appreciate your suggestions and assistance.

Best regards

Rob

fumbler · Post by **fumbler** » 02 Mar 2007, 11:53

Hi,

If you still have confidence in the restorer, or are willing to take a chance on another UK techie, why not ty to come to some agreement about a few days in Malta? Can one get an out-of-season weekend or midweek package for a reasonable price? Perhaps someone on this forum will jump at it! I would if I had the skills.

Rgds.

Zagozzie · Post by **Zagozzie** » 02 Mar 2007, 13:41

Barrie - no sideways movement at all - but a few of the checks seem to have moved forward catching the hammers on the way up again. The actions ir firm on the frame - but a hell of a lot of noise and from the action in movemnt, and - of course - uneven right through.

Will let the sea breeze blow all over it and see if that helps if it is drying out.

What really pisses me off about this problem - apart from seeming to have wasted my money on the action part of the reconditioning - is that this is he basis of a very fine Bechstein - better voice than ny of its age I have heard or played. Far better voice that I let go, giving this Bechstein preference - despite having played th Steinway for 20 years without an trouble from it. I thought it would see my career out, and intended to use it for local concerts.

Fingers crossed it might still be recoverable - but am very disappointed.

Rob

Post by **Barrie Heaton** » 02 Mar 2007, 17:37

Zagozzie wrote:Barrie - no sideways movement at all - but a few of the checks seem to have moved forward catching the hammers on the way up again. The actions ir firm on the frame - but a hell of a lot of noise and from the action in movemnt, and - of course - uneven right through.

Rob

Action noise normally comes loos screws or centres which you would normally put down to drying out - since you have had it reconditioned worn bushing or missing notch cushions should not be a factor in your noisy action

You say that the checks have moved forward they don’t do that However, when they take in moisture the felt can swell up and that would make the touch uneven but if that was the case then the problem above would not arise interesting

One other factory could be the keybed I have seen this happen before when they restrung the piano they may have removed the keybed and not put it back as they should have, the removal men come along tugging and pulling and dislodges the keybed. This will putt out all the regulation and could be the source of the clicking

As to the guy who use to get pianos from the UK he had the only piano shop in Malta that is what he told us the only reason I remember him was because one he put 2 pianos on the roof rack and one in the boot - well the wheels were touching the arches we said he will get pulled over by the police

Barrie,

Zagozzie · Post by **Zagozzie** » 02 Mar 2007, 18:31

Barrie - I took the action out again today - and wonder if you might be right about it al having moved - the piano sounded better when I pushed the action back in. but still terrible clatter. What the hell woud cause the hammer to be catching on the check again - two of them, in fact!

But I have been put in touch with a guy who buys supplies from the UK, and he's coming on Monday to see what he thinks. I'm just a pianist, and don't think I could tackle a complete regulatin and voicing without someone standing over e.

Appreciate all you've said - the appalling clatter - remember I had that in a gateleg Bechstein years ago - a beast of a piano and pretty dull with it.

This old V has a live big voice right through.

Forgot - the action - I guess - is the normal one - a Schwander tied one

Rob

Zagozzie · Post by **Zagozzie** » 02 Mar 2007, 18:33

HiFumbler - tried to get the guy to come out - offered air fares and to put him up for a week - but apparently too busy.

Rob

Post by **Barrie Heaton** » 02 Mar 2007, 21:45

Zagozzie wrote:
Forgot - the action - I guess - is the normal one - a Schwander tied one

Rob

Have you tried the screws on the rockers on the keys the ones closes to you, but don’t touch the back ones. See if you can make them tighter.

Barrie,

Post by **Barrie Heaton** » 02 Mar 2007, 21:52

Zagozzie wrote:HiFumbler - tried to get the guy to come out - offered air fares and to put him up for a week - but apparently too busy.

Rob

The guy may find he has no option - if he is not prepared to sort it out. I could be wrong but with Malta now in the EEC, EEC goods and services rules apply. So you could contact the local trading standards in the UK. However, it is better to sort it out with out the “officers of the Law”

Barrie,

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