Grand Regulation - - A Checklist - Part 1

QUIZ

1) Does regulating the jack height to the balancier affect the strength of the repetition spring?

2) Does regulating the let-off affect the backcheck distance?

3) Which of the following affect the amount of after-touch: key height, blow, jack alignment, jack height, let-off, drop, backcheck, repetition spring?

Do you know for certain as a particular grand regulation procedure is performed, how it will affect the other procedures? Or which of the other procedures will alter the regulation just completed? For instance, in the jack to knuckle alignment, changing the jack will alter the let-off and the amount of aftertouch. But if the capstan is changed, the jack will have to be realigned again.

Say that you are about to completely recondition the action of a grand. Do you have an orderly, logical approach figured out so that nothing will be overlooked with a minimal amount of doubling back, wasting time? Action reconditioning can be much simplified by using a thorough, detailed checklist. The advantages are obvious. Most of us cannot take the time to go over an action in one sitting. Interruptions are bound to happen, whether it be for lunch, overnight or for two weeks. Frequently there is a loss of memory as to what has been done, where you are now, and what was next. With a checklist, you need only to mark where you are when the interruption occurs.

Unless grand regulation is something one does frequently, one probably does not have the proper sequence memorised. Manuals are available from the different manufacturers, but none of them give a complete list of things to do. Neither do they agree on the sequence to be used. For instance, one manufacturer says to level the keys and lay the dip first. Whereas another says to regulate the jack, let-off and blow first, and then level the keys and lay the dip. Many more differences can be found, too.

 

In general, are not all grand actions made similar today? Granted, they may have different designs of whippens, action rails, sostenuto systems, etc., but they all have parts working in the same functions (minor exceptions). Therefore, it should be possible to create a checklist to be used on all grand actions. One which has all of the different steps one must go through to properly recondition and regulate in the most efficient and logical way.

 

Here is a 50- point checklist for grands which does just that:

I.Keys & Keyframe

 

(1) Tighten all screws, remove action and keys

(2) Sand keybed, apply talc or slipspray.

(3) Seat action on keyframe, repair stripped screw holes

(4) Bed keyframe, backrail, frontrail, studs; sand as necessary

(5) Align action rail distance if needed (whippen/hammer center pin)

(6) Remove action, polish front and centre rail pins, clean keyframe

(7) Put keys back on frame, check centre hole for loose/tight, correct

(8) Check buttons, ease or rebush as needed

(9) Check keys at frontrail pins, ease or rebush as needed

(10) Clean and buff keytops and fronts

(11) Square keytops, check for war page

(12) Adjust key height and level all 88

(13) Lay dip, at least 0.400 for now (0.450 for Steinway)

(14) Space keys

II. Top Action (off of keyframe)

(15) Check action centers, repin or shrink as needed

(16) Travel hammers

(17) Check hammer angle/shank warpage, correct

(18) Reshape hammers

(19) Regraphite jack top and balancier window

(20) Space jack in window

(21) Round and file knuckles, needle if hard

(22) Clean repetition spring and groove (Steinway, Yamaha, Bosendorfer)

(23) Round whippen felt if needed

(24) Polish capstans

(25) Clean knuckles and backchecks

Ill.Alignments (installation back on keyframe)

(26) Align action frame in piano (adjust keyframe stop block)

(27) Align hammers to strings

(28) Align and square whippens to knuckle

(29) Align jack to knuckle core

(30) Align and square backchecks to hammer tails

 

IV. Touch

 

(31) Jack heigth to the balancier

(32) Blow

(33) Let-off

(34) Drop

(35) Aftertouch

(36) Backcheck distance

(37) Repetition spring

(38) Check gram weight resistance all 88 keys

(39) Adjust key stoprail

V. Dampers and pedals

(40) Lube and releather trapwork

(41) Check damper guide rail, ease or rebush as needed

(42) Check damper lift from key (‘h blow)

(43) Check damper lift from lifter rail

(44) Adjust damper pedal rod length

(45) Adjust damper pedal stop

(46) Adjust damper stoprail

(47) Check string level/damper seating

(46) Sostenuto pedal rod length/ knife angle

(49) Sostenuto assembly (tabs) aligned to knife

(50) Shift pedal rod length and stop screw

A pretty extensive list. I am sure that ...

 

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