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I used to do work on my pianos in the past, but it has been a while. I can't seem to find my Reblitz book. I have a hammer on my Mason Hamlin AA that does not come up to the proper rest position when I release the key very slowly. What causes this and what is the adjustment that corrects the problem? Thanks.

Friction in the shank flange bushing. DEBRIS SOMEWHERE. Rep lever height, the jack may not be getting back under the knuckle. Weak rep lever spring tension.

Actually, and not that it matters, the piano is a BB, not an AA. My typo.

I peeked inside and could see that that jack is not repositioning under the knuckle when the key is released slowly. The next time the key is played, nothing happens. I've noticed about 5 keys that do this. The action is relatively new. It is a 2007 piano. Virtually unused by the first owner. I purchased it in October 2009. I noticed an occasion hiccup initially, but I thought that it might have been my technique. The problem became more apparent when I started working on some music that with slow quiet passages.

I'm wondering if a little teflon powder will help the jack slip under the knuckle. Worth a try?

It could be a tight joint in the repetition levers, which is difficult to find. Regulate the action.

Could it be that the spring in the balancier is to weak and is unable to support the hammer/shank, allowing it to sit to low and not allowing the jack to postion itself back under the knuckle?

Monster M&H,

It certainly could be that. Are these springs usually replaced in such a circumstance, or can they be bent slightly to increase the strength?

You can adjust the springs so you have some hammer rise. You may even try lubing the spring where it rubs on the repetition lever/balancier. And yes,they can be replaced.


Disclaimer: My advice is mostly book knowledge.

The rep springs in a piano manufactured in 2007 don't need to be replaced. The action simply needs to be regulated.

Curry, your absolutely right, it did cross my mind -a short trip- and I should have mentioned that.

On a nice piano like a BB, have your technician do the adjustments. You don't want to mess up a rep spring.

--Cy--

I just fixed a Wurlitzer grand with the same problem, if you release the key in a very slow motion then the hammer falls under the hammer line.

Why? High friction in the center pin so the rep lever had not enough force to stop the fall of the hammer. The rep spring was fine.

Solution: ream the bushings and put a new center pin of the same size.

Greetings,
The first thing I would do is see if the jack pinning is too tight. If these are Renner whippens, I would almost bet on it.
Regards,

This is a AA, right? What year? Older action (Wessel, Nickell, and Gross) or more recent foreign made W N and G?

I agree with it being a jack or balancier issue. You can feel with your finger to see if the jack is tight, or if it's returning properly. Compare the feel of the jack and the rep lever to see how they compare with the parts/pinning/springs on a neighboring wippen. This should give you some clue as to where the problem is.

If it's an older one, a drop of Protek CLP can temporarily free it up. Whether old or new, reaming and repinning the offending joint is the only way to cure it permanently.

I recommend calling your tech in.