need advice on problems with new 131 kemble upright

[heidi34]

The new Kemble 131 upright that I just bought around June 1 has several moderately annoying problems.

It double-hits (or double strikes) for several/many keys when I play softly. Since it is a Kemble it has a Yamaha action, which I infer from the Piano Book is a Schwander-type action. In the Piano Book Larry states that sometimes fixing this double striking at low volume is hard on this type of action (because other things could be affected?). Should I expect this in my case? The action is already a little hard for my taste, would fixing this make it harder?

Also for the lowest octave+, the felts don?t completely damp out the sound as soon as the key is released. So things get to sounding pretty muddy down there.

There are also some buzzes on several notes around the A below C below middle C.

Can some knowledgeable techs or others give me an idea of how hard it would be to fix these particular problems?

I have the option to exchange it for a different one of the same model (and pay for the extra delivery). I need advice on this quite soon.

[Barrie Heaton]

They are all regulating problems and should be no problem to a good tuner who knows what he/she is doing; it could be that the action has come unseated in the removal. Has a tuner been out to the piano? However, in my experience when there has been a problem with a piano where it has took a few visits to fix, the player is never as happy with the piano as they should be. Even thou the piano is working correct they have this mental block.

I would change the piano as to the cost of the removals that is down to the retailer not you. They have admitted there is a problem with the piano from day one, so they have delivered faulty goods so the cost of replacement is there’s.(this only applies to the UK) Trading standards will confirm this, give them a ring.

BTW the Kemble 131 is a very very good piano for the price, but like all manufactured goods the odd problem is missed.



Barrie,

[heidi34]

Thanks, Barrie, for your reply.

I decided to get service on my piano rather than trade it. The other one had some better and some worse qualities. Mine has a very plummy midsection, but it is rather loud. Is needling the hammers the main way to soften pianos, or is there some other action adjustment that is often done?

With regard to the double-striking, should I try to write down all the notes that double-strike to show the tech, or will the tech do something to all the keys (or all the keys in the middle region, or some such thing). I have the impression it happens more if I am not moving my finger straight down, but a little bit side to side perhaps, while I am playing through a run or a scale (I am a beginning player).

Is it possible to make the overall action a bit easier/lighter at the same time the double striking is addressed, or are these two goals (less double striking and lighter action) incompatible?

In the Piano Book's section on Yamaha verticals, it is suggested to tighten the action screws (?? or some such thing) after 6 months (I don?t have the book here right now). Should I ask for that to be done and is it, by any chance, closely related to the issues mentioned above?

[Barrie Heaton]

Thanks, Barrie, for your reply.

I decided to get service on my piano rather than trade it. The other one had some better and some worse qualities. Mine has a very plummy midsection, but it is rather loud. Is needling the hammers the main way to soften pianos, or is there some other action adjustment that is often done?

Needling is the main way to do it, as is gives you a lot of control. Steam is use if you want a big change on very hard hammers but great care is needed. Fabric Softer can also be use. However, the piano must not be played for a few days until the hammers are dry if Fabric Softer is used.

With regard to the double-striking, should I try to write down all the notes that double-strike to show the tech, or will the tech do something to all the keys (or all the keys in the middle region, or some such thing). I have the impression it happens more if I am not moving my finger straight down, but a little bit side to side perhaps, while I am playing through a run or a scale (I am a beginning player).

Would do no harm to make a note the tuner should check all the piano it may be a combination of lost motion and keys not at the correct height. There are other factors that can make hammers bounce LM is the main one on new pinaos.

Is it possible to make the overall action a bit easier/lighter at the same time the double striking is addressed, or are these two goals (less double striking and lighter action) incompatible?

If it is lost motion the action will feel a tad heaver but a lot more responsive – there are ways of making the action a little lighter. A lot depends on the up and down weights as there could be quite a lot of friction, which could be removed

In the Piano Book's section on Yamaha verticals, it is suggested to tighten the action screws (?? or some such thing) after 6 months (I don?t have the book here right now). Should I ask for that to be done and is it, by any chance, closely related to the issues mentioned above?

Action screws can a do come loos in parts of the world where the humidity swings are very large and more so with wooden beam rails. This is part of the normal regular tuning visit checking for loos screws and miss aliened hammers. Or he could have been referring to lost motion which all pianos suffer for at some time

Barrie,

[DHan]

HI Heidi, I am new to the world of piano and have just got to surf into this forum. Would like your help on:- You had made reference to "The Piano Book" Where can I view this on the internet or do I need to get a hard physical copy? Who is the writer, publisher, price & etc....??