Fine tuning Rhodes. Found a tool at home!

[Tonewheel]

Happy New Year. My old Rhodes C2 was running sharp, so I have been trying, as an amateur, to move the coil spring further out without creating a problem and without removing the assembly, and found the perfect tool (for me). I have a screw tip case with small bits, some unusual, but there were 3 U-shaped bits, one of which will hug the tine perfectly. The holder is thin enough to slip down between tine assemblies to just behind the spring. Using the handle of another screwdriver, I tapped on the holder a few times to slide the spring distally, and within a minute, I had the tine tuned to correct pitch.

While I am here, a quick question. I have 2 dull tines, so I have ordered new ones but have been cautious about cutting to proper length. What is the best recommended plier set, and if I err, is it better to err on the side of too long? If so, how much leeway would I have sliding the spring procimally to raise the pitch to correct? I.e., what is the pitch range that the spring affords?

Thanks in advance.

[Alan Lenhoff]

Your tool may work well over much of the keyboard range. But in the top octave or so, the tines are so short that even a very small movement of the spring will change the pitch considerably, making tuning more difficult.  I find it much more effective for the highest notes to prop-up the harp assembly and use my fingers to move those top register springs very tiny amounts. Try gripping the spring between your thumb and forefinger and rotating it a bit while exerting a little pressure in the direction it needs to go. Actually, I prefer to use this "harp-up and use your fingers" method across the entire keyboard.  You don't have to "remove" the harp to do this. Just remove the two screws on either side of the harp, and tilt the harp back on its hinges until it stands up vertically on the harp blocks.

I can't advise on the best procedure for cutting tines, but I have found that rather than replacing "dull tines," often the issue is not the tine itself. Sometimes adding an extra spring to the escapement screw (the tonebar screw closest to the keys) works. Sometimes the pickup is weak or too far away. The strikeline can be off because a hammer tip has been glued slightly out of place. If the troublesome tine is in the top octave, a tonebar clip that adds a little mass may solve the issue. Sometimes the hammer tip is damaged and needs replacing. There are other possibilities, too.

If all that sounds mystifying or dizzying, I guess I'm just trying to warn you that replacing the tines may not be necessary -- or may not even solve the problem.

Want to learn something?  Swap one of the "dull" tine/tonebars with an adjacent one that works fine. Does it still sound dull in the new position?  Does the "good" tine still sound good?

Alan

[Tonewheel]

Thanks for the advice, Alan. Very helpful.

I had tried almost all of the variants except swapping out with a good tine, so I'll try that.

Best,

Dave