Redoing a professionals job 206A

[Dote]

Hi there,

so a long time ago I bought this 206A which I brought back to life and went the extra mile to get it really right. Played and sounded nice. But there was always this thought in my head that I am not a pro and so a pro might do even more magic to my Wurly.

Fast forward to some years ago, I took the piano to a pro and he did some work on it. When it came back it, was not what I had expected, it was good, but not magic. Also the action was set up way different from what I had done and not to my liking. So the Wurly went into hybernation/no use. Today I opened the Wurly up again and for the first time took a look at what had been done inside.

There was NO lost motion whatsoever. As a result the hammer butts were all across the place, not lying in a line on the rail. I readjusted the lost motion and the action started to feel better. Then I adjusted let-off and now have the notes playing more evenly for my touch.

Two notes (second octave B and B flat) sound dull. No bark on them as opposed to the adjacent notes. So I wonder if I should have a look at strike line for these two notes or try to adjust the sound via voicing, i.e. bending up or down the pickup.

Second question would be: if one adjusts the pickup, which direction to bend for more bark? Right now the pickup is horizontal to the reeds. Btw the notes are right where the bass section ends and the thinner pickup begins.

Any help is more than welcome!

Thanks,

Dote

[cinnanon]

There was NO lost motion whatsoever. As a result the hammer butts were all across the place, not lying in a line on the rail. I readjusted the lost motion and the action started to feel better. Then I adjusted let-off and now have the notes playing more evenly for my touch.

There should be some lost motion. The manual states 1/32" at the front of the key.

Two notes (second octave B and B flat) sound dull. No bark on them as opposed to the adjacent notes. So I wonder if I should have a look at strike line for these two notes or try to adjust the sound via voicing, i.e. bending up or down the pickup.

The manual states that the reed should be centered in the pickup gap, but if you "scooch" it to one side carefully, you can get some great bark from the lower octaves! Usually it isn't a strike line issue in the lower octaves since the reeds are so long. I wouldn't touch the pickups (bending up/down) just yet.

Second question would be: if one adjusts the pickup, which direction to bend for more bark? Right now the pickup is horizontal to the reeds. Btw the notes are right where the bass section ends and the thinner pickup begins.

If the reeds are "even" with the pickup, then that is probably as much bark as you're going to get unless you side-shift the reeds, like I stated above.  There is a transition in reed shape from 20-21.  The lower reeds sound better than the upper reeds at this transition.  It is noticeable to me. Is that what you're hearing?

[pianotuner steveo]

Bending the pickup in a wurlitzer mainly affects the volume, it is not like tine adjustments in a Rhodes.
It is not recommended unless absolutely necessary. The metal can fatigue and break easily from bending. It does not change the "bark", really.

Are those two hammers out of line (front to back) with the others, or about the same? If you alter the Reed bar strike point to fix those 2, the others will likely not sound right.

Have you tried removing, cleaning and remounting the offending reeds? Are you sure that the washers are installed hump side up?

Replacing the reeds would be expensive and likely not change it unless yours are corroded. I don't recommend it until you are sure that is what it needs. I've been working on Wurlitzers for 40 years and the only times I ever had to replace a Reed was when they broke.

[pianotuner steveo]

When I say clean the reeds, I mean with a light oil. Never sand or steel wool the Reed except for the solder blob.

[Dote]

Dear Cinnamon,

thanks for your answers!

Yes, as per the manual there should be lost motion. There was none, but now I adjusted accordingly. Worked out nicely.

I refrained from touching the pickup and adjusted the lost motion and let off a bit more and now the transition you referred to is not as bad as before.

I will play the Wurly a bit and see if I need more bark and then try to "misalign" i.e. side shift the reed in the pickup a bit to get more bark.

Thanks again for your help,

Dote

[beginnersluke]

When I say clean the reeds, I mean with a light oil. Never sand or steel wool the Reed except for the solder blob.

Not even at the base of the read where it contacts the reed bar? I've often seen this sanded with fine grit paper (as well as surface of the reed bar, so that both of these surfaces are nice and clean).

Thanks,

Luke

[cinnanon]

Not even at the base of the read where it contacts the reed bar? I've often seen this sanded with fine grit paper (as well as surface of the reed bar, so that both of these surfaces are nice and clean).

I as well, I don't sand it like Hulk would, but nice and lightly...

[pianotuner steveo]

Wurlitzer did not recommend doing this, but then again, the pianos were not as old as they are now when they went out of business. I suppose only in that spot is ok, but you may remove the protective coating that reduces corrosion, so be very careful. No problem on the Reed bar.