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MMD > Archives > February 1999 > 1999.02.16 > 10Prev  Next


Rolls For Regulating Reproducing Pianos
By Bob Taylor

Re 990215 MMDigest.  The idea that one or two rolls can be used to
adequately regulate any reproducing piano is a bit short sighted.
I am sure that several rebuilders will parrot this remark.

In my own experience, not only do I use the test rolls as a starting
point of regulation, I also play many, many performance rolls.  Playing
any less than thirty diverse rolls will result in incomplete
regulation.

The Duo-Art is the most challenging.  Playing the test roll correctly
on that piano seldom translates to a satisfactory, musical, perform-
ance.  The real fine tuning can only be done after about 100 hours of
playing real rolls.  Most rebuilders I know keep the freshly rebuilt
reproducing  piano playing all day while they work on other projects.
The rebuilder's keen ear picks up small flaws which he/she later ad-
dresses.  During that period of time, all freshly rebuilt components
have adequate run-in time to assure proper operation.

The Ampico B probably requires the least amount of testing and regu-
lating, followed by the Ampico A and Welte, with the Duo-Art coming 
in as a very distant fourth.

Rebuilding any pneumatic playing system is only a mechanical craft.
The art occurs in the regulation.  Great sounding reproducing pianos
are works of art and are products of many hours of very skillful
regulation.

Bob Taylor


(Message sent Tue 16 Feb 1999, 16:52:23 GMT, from time zone GMT-0600.)

Key Words in Subject:  Pianos, Regulating, Reproducing, Rolls

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