How To Level the Keys on my rhodes

[Scottsguitar]

I have a question maybe some of you can answer??? I have a Rhodes 73 and want to level the keys. How do I do that any Ideas

Scott

[pianotuner steveo]

It is not easy. Well, it is easy, but it is very time consuming. The felt and paper punchings under the balance rail are what raises and lowers the keys for leveling. The paper punchings are different thicknesses. The felt punchings are thin,medium, or thick, but they likely do not need replacing. If you have a handful that are too low, or too high, adjust the paper shims. The felt punchings should ALWAYS be on top of the paper punchings, but seldom are, due to laziness at the factory.

If some keys are real low, it is possible that the felt punchings are missing ( eaten by mice or moths.)




 

[martin]

is t

[martin]

is there a trick to mesure the height? ive tried with a ruler, but with the wood infront on the keys being slanted, its hard to keep the ruler straight.........

[voltergeist]

Leveling by eye is a fool's errand.  My trick is to use a dial indicator on an adjustable base on a smooth, flat surface:

http://www.grizzly.com/products/1-Dial-Indicator-and-Fine-Adjustment-Magnetic-Base/T24804

The dial indicator is a measuring tool accurate to typically .001" (1/1000th of an inch).  Set a key to your desired height, zero out the dial, then shim (or de-shim) the other keys to get them to the same height.  Makes it quick and easy.  I can level a keybed in about 2 hours with this method.  It's important to have a flat, smooth surface.

[timpotent]

Nice !!

Gonna order this now 

[martin]

nice one! ill order it!

[voltergeist]

There's also a trick to the trick, which is to weight down the pedestal side of the keys while measuring to keep the indicator's plunger from pushing down the key and ruining the measurement.  Also, measure at the same location on all the (white/black) keys.  I measure in the middle within appx 1/16" of the front of the key.  I allow +/-.010" deviation on the white keys, and +/-.015" on the black keys.

[Mister_Al]

Well, thanks for the dial indicator trick, but isn't there an easier method to level the keys without buying a new tool?
And why would one wish to level the keys so accurate? Does one realize a small deviation when playing the Rhodes?

Thanks for the answers...

[squarebubble]

I thought it was best to level the keys in the case. What happens if you're case is slightly warped and then it throws it all out once screwed in place?

[voltergeist]

Well, thanks for the dial indicator trick, but isn't there an easier method to level the keys without buying a new tool?
And why would one wish to level the keys so accurate? Does one realize a small deviation when playing the Rhodes?

Thanks for the answers...

An easier method without a tool?  I suppose anything is possible.

+/-.010" is driven by visually discernable difference in height.  Obviously there is some point where deviation in key height becomes a distraction for the player, and the amount that is tolerable is probably very dependent on the player.  As key leveling goes, if it looks good, it feels good.

If someone has a better solution than a $30 tool that will level keys within thousandths of an inch within a couple hours, I'm all ears.  And if you like a snaggletooth keybed, or spending hours driving yourself crazy leveling by eye, more power to you.

[voltergeist]

I thought it was best to level the keys in the case. What happens if you're case is slightly warped and then it throws it all out once screwed in place?

I considered that, but the case adds error, and a warped case is a separate issue that should be dealt with independently by shimming between the piano chassis and the case.  Compensating for a warped case by key leveling doesn't make much sense to me.

[pianotuner steveo]

I agree the tool sounds awesome and I may get one, but I think the real question here is why buy the tool if you only need to do this once?  (Non techs)

For those of us who do this for a living, this looks like the best tool I have ever seen for this.

Techs have been leveling keys for hundreds of years in pianos without the fancy tools. (acoustic pianos have been around since 1706) The basic way is to set a few (like ends and middle) with careful measurements, then fill in the rest in between by using a straight edge across the keys that are known to be correct. Again, it is easier to place the felt on the bottom, add or subtract paper punchings until correct, then flip the whole stack of punchings over with tweezers or whatever. The felt punching should be on top of the pile when done. Thisprevents the paper punchings from getting worn/torn from the key movement.

[voltergeist]

Techs have been leveling keys for hundreds of years in pianos without the fancy tools. (acoustic pianos have been around since 1706) The basic way is to set a few (like ends and middle) with careful measurements, then fill in the rest in between by using a straight edge across the keys that are known to be correct. Again, it is easier to place the felt on the bottom, add or subtract paper punchings until correct, then flip the whole stack of punchings over with tweezers or whatever. The felt punching should be on top of the pile when done. Thisprevents the paper punchings from getting worn/torn from the key movement.

As a low-tech method for someone doing a one-off, yes, that sounds like a good solution.

[cfishel15]

The basic way is to set a few (like ends and middle) with careful measurements, then fill in the rest in between by using a straight edge across the keys that are known to be correct. Again, it is easier to place the felt on the bottom, add or subtract paper punchings until correct, then flip the whole stack of punchings over with tweezers or whatever. The felt punching should be on top of the pile when done. Thisprevents the paper punchings from getting worn/torn from the key movement.

I've used pianotuner steveo's method and it works quite well! Use an aluminum yardstick propped on its edge to provide a good straight edge span between the end and middle keys.

[pianotuner steveo]

Thanks, but it actually is the method piano techs are taught in school. I did not invent it...

[Peter Hayes]

It's how I was taught at Perkin's School of Piano Tuning and Technology (using the Reblitz book) back in the day.

[martin]

i got the meter today, and i tried using it but haven't got the patience! i took out all of the shims and just placed all they keys onto the felt and the action is fast and light, really even and dynamic. next thing is to re-drill the harp for optimum strike line!!!

[pianotuner steveo]

Hmmmm... Is your dip still correct?

Of course if dip is too shallow, it gives the illusion that the action is heavy so maybe not...

Do you want to keep the gauge?

[martin]

im gonna come back to it in a few days...... on another topic, would it be ok to tune the rhodes to my nord by ear or do i need a tuner???

[pianotuner steveo]

You don't 'need' a tuner, per say, they just make it faster.

[voltergeist]

i got the meter today, and i tried using it but haven't got the patience! i took out all of the shims and just placed all they keys onto the felt and the action is fast and light, really even and dynamic. next thing is to re-drill the harp for optimum strike line!!!

With all due respect, if you don't have the patience for the relatively quick and painless task of leveling keys with the indicator, Rhodes teching may not be for you.  Patience is everything.  Persistence and skill are important, too, but neither is much good without patience.

[martin]

but if the action feels great, why spend all that time to change it??

[voltergeist]

but if the action feels great, why spend all that time to change it??

Your question was about leveling keys.  Are your keys level after you gave up leveling and removed all the shims?

[martin]

yes, there are maybe 4 or 5 that need shimming up a bit....