Misfiring hammers

Nyiregyhazi · Post by **Nyiregyhazi** » 24 Feb 2007, 15:40

I have two notes on my upright on which the hammers are setting off at the wrong angle. When played strongly they hit the next string slightly. Any simple solutions? There are a few other notes lacking depth of tone I think are probable doing a similar thing and hitting on soft, unused part of the hammer but not missing by so much.

Andrew

Post by **Barrie Heaton** » 24 Feb 2007, 18:02

Do we mean when the hammer travel it is moving over to the left or right. On the Bad notes if you push two hammers forward do they look like they are coming together or moving apart? The gap should remain the same if not then you have a travel problem.

If it is not the above and the hammers travel straight but don’t hit the string square the shank has twisted - when you look at the hammers at rest do they look parallel to each other?

Or are the hammers not hitting all 3 strings equally a spacing problem

Barrie,

Nyiregyhazi · Post by **Nyiregyhazi** » 27 Feb 2007, 20:47

The hammer is aiming well to the side. I have a few with uneven gaps between hammers. There are two that tend to hit other notes and a couple of other 'dead' notes that I suspect are missing slightly and hitting the softer part of the hammer instead of the grooves. Is this is an easy one to fix?

I'll get back with that photo soon, by the way.

Andrew

Post by **Barrie Heaton** » 28 Feb 2007, 02:28

Yes and No realigning the hammers is quite simple on a Bluthner overdamper. However, because you have Groves in the hammers that will cause you two problems - one if you line up the hammer to the string, the ridge of the grove will strike the string giving you an uneven tone on those notes - or worse the string will strike the side of the grove putting side pressure on the hammer and will over time make the centre loose this all depend on how deep the groves are on the second one

Before you space the hammers the groves need to be removed and that is more skilful than it looks

Barrie,

Nyiregyhazi · Post by **Nyiregyhazi** » 07 Mar 2007, 01:22

[quote="Barrie Heaton"]Yes and No realigning the hammers is quite simple on a Bluthner overdamper. However, because you have Groves in the hammers that will cause you two problems - one if you line up the hammer to the string, the ridge of the grove will strike the string giving you an uneven tone on those notes - or worse the string will strike the side of the grove putting side pressure on the hammer and will over time make the centre loose this all depend on how deep the groves are on the second one

Before you space the hammers the groves need to be removed and that is more skilful than it looks
quote]

Hi,

Should I leave this to a tuner then? I'm having more and more notes that are shooting off to the side. There must be at least 6 of them now. Won't removing the grooves soften up the tone quality though? I would have thought that the hard felt is needed for the sound production(?) Wouldn't that result in a similar tone to the very dead, soft sound that I'm getting now, when the hammers are off enough to hit the soft parts of felt that are not dented? Some notes are soft enough to barely be audible within louder playing.

How would I do basic adjustment for myself? Some hammers look perfectly normal, but when the key is struck firmly, they veer off enough to hit the next string.

Andrew

Post by **Barrie Heaton** » 07 Mar 2007, 09:57

Nyiregyhazi wrote:
Hi,

Should I leave this to a tuner then? I'm having more and more notes that are shooting off to the side. There must be at least 6 of them now.

That’s not good sound you have loos centres or butt plates old Bluthners had a form of Billings Flange which should help when the tuner visits. You gefiantly need to get the tuner out if moor are going, it may be a drying out problem.

Nyiregyhazi wrote: Won't removing the grooves soften up the tone quality though? I would have thought that the hard felt is needed for the sound production(?) Wouldn't that result in a similar tone to the very dead, soft sound that I'm getting now, when the hammers are off enough to hit the soft parts of felt that are not dented? Some notes are soft enough to barely be audible within louder playing.

No removing the cuts will make the piano brighter - playing the piano hard when the hammers are moving to the side is wearing the felt away quicker

Nyiregyhazi wrote:
How would I do basic adjustment for myself? Some hammers look perfectly normal, but when the key is struck firmly, they veer off enough to hit the next string.

Andrew

Its time to get in a tuner Preferably one that understands Bluthner actions

Barrie,