REPAIR REGULATION OF THE ACTION AND THE HAMMERS
Problem: sticking keys, squeaking or clicking noises while playing, sluggish reacting action with slow mechanical response, multiple sounds in one note, dull and muffling sound
Solution: removing foreign objects between or under the keys (pencil, hair clip, coins, etc.) Sanding down or filing the hammer felts to eliminate deep grooves to get a better and more pronounced sound of each tone. In cases where the hammer heads had been sanded down already or hammers are too damaged (i.e. by moths or worn out to the point that the felt in the treble section is gone and the bare wood is visible) replace with new hammer heads – made in Germany (same company who delivers to Steinway & Sons and other high end quality piano factories) and then do a thorough regulation where every part in the action has a specific task at a specific time.
Regulating a piano action involves taking every single moving part and adjusting it so that your piano plays to the best of its mechanical abilities and improve the overall performance. It will have an improved even feel and playability while eliminating squeaks and other noises along with it.
Sticking keys can come from the action, where you move nearly 100 parts by only pushing down a single key (misaligned hammers of other action parts) or from the keyboard itself (warped or broken keys, tight bushings [high humidity]).
Parts in the action and the keys are made from wood, felt, leather, cashmere, and linen (organic materials) which expand and shrink due to weather changes and humidity fluctuations. In any case, there are a number of solutions: Widen the wood with special made tools for exactly that sole purpose or replace axels (thicker or thinner) who rest in English Cashmere, where the thickness of a human hair makes the difference (one thousandth of a millimeter) between functioning or failing of that single note. Realign hammers and other piano parts, restore or repair broken action parts.
NEVER use a vacuum to clean your action or the hammers! NEVER try to lubricate piano parts yourself, using the wrong over the counter lubricants or applying it to the wrong parts where it could reach the pin block and do great harm to your instrument. NEVER use any kind of screw driver to fix a sticking key. NEVER use a blow dryer or a heat gun to solve problems of sticking keys or such. There are specific piano tools for these mentioned problems and tasks!
I am very proud to serve you and your valuable piano, being a master piano maker with German diplomas as well as having a German degree as a master cabinet maker. I am exhilarated to impress you and thrilled to blow you away with the results of my craftsmanship! Get ready for the culture shock of your life! As YOUR piano doctor, I am so excited to meet you and the “new patient” soon!
Slide1