Kawai K5 bouncing Hammers

General discussion about piano makes, problems with pianos, or just seeking advice.

Moderators: Feg, Gill the Piano, Melodytune

Post Reply
DMathew
Junior Poster
Junior Poster
Posts: 17
Joined: 31 Aug 2008, 00:21

worried about my new piano repeating notes

Post by DMathew »

I recieved my K-5 today.... :D. I do love the piano sounds as it did in the shop. But .......

Just want to know if hearing the notes repeating when they are played very very slowly is normal.

I am very much the beginner and as I was reading a piece and playing VERY gently (early stages of learning to read music) I notice that the key feels like its bouncing and can hear the strings being struck once again. I can see this happen when i look at the hammers hitting the strings. This only occurs when i play very gently and across all the keys. As i am very new to all this I do not know is this normal of all upright pianos? If it is something wrong can it be fixed?

Could anyone advise. It's probably nothing and the norm for all pianos but having just bought the piano want to get these things ironed out early.
Thanks
Dave
PianoGuy
Executive Poster
Executive Poster
Posts: 1689
Joined: 21 May 2005, 18:29

Re: worried about my new piano repeating notes

Post by PianoGuy »

DMathew wrote:I recieved my K-5 today.... :D. I do love the piano sounds as it did in the shop. But .......

Just want to know if hearing the notes repeating when they are played very very slowly is normal.
No. This fault should be easily rectifiable though. Contact the dealer asap and get him to send a technician round.
DMathew
Junior Poster
Junior Poster
Posts: 17
Joined: 31 Aug 2008, 00:21

Post by DMathew »

Thank you
I'll be in touch with the dealer tomorrow.
pianotechman
Regular Poster
Regular Poster
Posts: 77
Joined: 14 Oct 2008, 09:37
Location: Uxbridge Middlesex

Post by pianotechman »

We used to call the fault 'blubbering', i don't know if that's the universal term in the trade for a hammer that does not go into 'check properly'. A tech should be able to sort it out easily, especially if it's a new instrument!
David Hamilton Smith
DMathew
Junior Poster
Junior Poster
Posts: 17
Joined: 31 Aug 2008, 00:21

Post by DMathew »

The shop dealer is the technitian himself. He mentioned 2 ways in which it can be fixed. Either tightening the springs or to move the board further away from the strings so that the striking mechanism can complete its cycle more easily.

He seemed to indicate the moving of the board may affect the touch of the piano.

Any advise on what to ask him to do

Dave
User avatar
sussexpianos
Persistent Poster
Persistent Poster
Posts: 363
Joined: 19 Aug 2006, 17:01
Location: East Sussex
Contact:

Post by sussexpianos »

I must have gone to sleep for 40 years and awoke in a time when pianos are made differently !
Springs? Board? What on earth? Am I missing something?
Back in my time this was bad regulation mostly due to the jack not having enough escapment and thus bouncing hammers on the jack. Solved easily by regulation and making sure there is enough depth of touch in the keys so that the jack escapes. Too much escapement can lead to poor repetition.
vernon
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 914
Joined: 12 Mar 2008, 10:29
Location: N.E.Scotland
Contact:

Post by vernon »

Like Sussex Pianos I've no clue as to what your "tech" is on about.
On a piano,blubbering is likely to be caused either by the touch being wrong(too shallow), the set off too late, the checks wrong,or the slap rail set too far in so the jacks can't escape properly. Bear in mind the latter is often warped so it may be ok in places!
As it's a new piano it's a regulating fault and needs fixed,as we say in the Far North
DMathew
Junior Poster
Junior Poster
Posts: 17
Joined: 31 Aug 2008, 00:21

Post by DMathew »

thanks for the advise. I'll keep you all posted. he's going to fix it later this week. Taking some component away to do the work and returning it the following day.
Still enjoying it even with the fault. Been looking forward to this piano too long to wait.
Dave
mdw
Senior Poster
Senior Poster
Posts: 470
Joined: 05 Jan 2008, 19:18

Post by mdw »

DMathew wrote: Taking some component away to do the work and returning it the following day.

Dave
To do the regulation mentioned you need it all in the piano.
User avatar
sussexpianos
Persistent Poster
Persistent Poster
Posts: 363
Joined: 19 Aug 2006, 17:01
Location: East Sussex
Contact:

Post by sussexpianos »

Taking what away? This gets better. Its like one of those murder mysteries but with pianos. Which bit I would wonder.this work requires the piano and all of its componants.
When the tech does come, please ask him to ping the tail on the donkey as he sounds like he likes games.
DMathew
Junior Poster
Junior Poster
Posts: 17
Joined: 31 Aug 2008, 00:21

Post by DMathew »

Getting worried about what he's going to do to the piano. He did come across as knowing what he was doing. :(
I'm tempted to find another tech even though it means paying separately for it.
Dave
PianoGuy
Executive Poster
Executive Poster
Posts: 1689
Joined: 21 May 2005, 18:29

Post by PianoGuy »

sussexpianos wrote:Taking what away? This gets better. Its like one of those murder mysteries but with pianos. Which bit I would wonder.this work requires the piano and all of its componants.
When the tech does come, please ask him to ping the tail on the donkey as he sounds like he likes games.
It certainly sounds a bit strange. I would have thought he's best doing it with a bit of knowledge and the piano in front of him in your house! Even the tools required would fit into one hand, or their handles would at any rate, so no need to transport anything away......
Brumtuner
Persistent Poster
Persistent Poster
Posts: 148
Joined: 08 Feb 2008, 18:09

Post by Brumtuner »

Perhaps he took the blubber rail away for resetting. I usually charge about 350 quid for this service.




Ok, ok, just kidding, I only charge 250.
vernon
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 914
Joined: 12 Mar 2008, 10:29
Location: N.E.Scotland
Contact:

Post by vernon »

he's probably taking the action away to " tighten the springs and move the board back!" ( see original enquiry)
I wouldn't let him near it and certainly not let him take anything away.
It sounds as tho' something is very wrong.
Kawais come in with excellent regulation.
PianoGuy
Executive Poster
Executive Poster
Posts: 1689
Joined: 21 May 2005, 18:29

Post by PianoGuy »

vernon wrote: Kawais come in with excellent regulation.
Very true.

Could be excessive damp in the current location. That's a good one for creating bouncing hammers.
DMathew
Junior Poster
Junior Poster
Posts: 17
Joined: 31 Aug 2008, 00:21

Post by DMathew »

I'm seriously worried now. From the sounds of it, the piano itself may be a dud. :( :(
Is this likely??

Thinking of asking for a new piano. hoping he will accept that.
Wish I knew enough to discern the problem before I put my money down.
PianoGuy
Executive Poster
Executive Poster
Posts: 1689
Joined: 21 May 2005, 18:29

Post by PianoGuy »

DMathew wrote:I'm seriously worried now. From the sounds of it, the piano itself may be a dud. :( :(
Is this likely??
Relax!

It really shouldn't be that serious a problem to sort out!
Ignore the couple of joke comments on here!

If all fails, I'm sure many of us here know Neil the Kawai rep, so we'll send in the big guns for you if your dealer turns out to be less than effective.

:twisted:
User avatar
sussexpianos
Persistent Poster
Persistent Poster
Posts: 363
Joined: 19 Aug 2006, 17:01
Location: East Sussex
Contact:

Post by sussexpianos »

Its not the piano which sounds dud :twisted:
The K5 is a lovely piano and plays very well due to the Carbon action etc. They are set up pretty well by the Kawai techs in Milton Keynes( Kawai UK, not Kemble if thats what you were thinking) but just might need a little bit more attention by the expert dealer :lol: or any piano technician. I sometimes don't notice this problem as Im a bit heavy handed. Should only take upto an hour to sort out.
vernon
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 914
Joined: 12 Mar 2008, 10:29
Location: N.E.Scotland
Contact:

Post by vernon »

sussex
I'm v worried about the dealer/technician.
Is he going to start turning things and adjusting some of those little nobby bits.
It could be that DMathew has a very light touch in which case the adjustment will be minimal and not require disembowelling the whole machine and removing it to some torture chamber to have it's" springs tightened and the board moved!"
DMathew
Junior Poster
Junior Poster
Posts: 17
Joined: 31 Aug 2008, 00:21

All is well..

Post by DMathew »

The tech was in today. He replaced the Kawai Action bar in the piano. And checked it through. I don't feel the blubbering unless I half press the keys. I had to try hard to make it happen

The touch of the piano overall feels lighter. (i like this :D ). The tech said he will be in touch with the kawai technician in the morning to check on the piano if i'm still not happy.

No moving of the board was mentioned. But he did say something about changing the regulation if necessary.

I'm happy. He's promised to help if I feel theres still a problem.
:D :D :D
Barrie Heaton
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 3603
Joined: 30 May 2003, 20:42
Location: Lanc's
Contact:

Re: All is well..

Post by Barrie Heaton »

DMathew wrote:The tech was in today. He replaced the Kawai Action bar in the piano. And checked it through. I don't feel the blubbering unless I half press the keys. I had to try hard to make it happen

it maybe just a Terminology problem as in
we say set off and the Yanks say let off

Do we mean the damper slap rail if that was warped it can cause the hammers to bounce if it stopping the dampers at the end of play

Barrie,
Barrie Heaton
Web Master UK Piano Page
vernon
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 914
Joined: 12 Mar 2008, 10:29
Location: N.E.Scotland
Contact:

Post by vernon »

what's a "kawai action bar?"
Brumtuner
Persistent Poster
Persistent Poster
Posts: 148
Joined: 08 Feb 2008, 18:09

Post by Brumtuner »

"what's a "kawai action bar?"

It's where the Kawai factory workers pop in after their shift for....



.... well, some 'action'.
DMathew
Junior Poster
Junior Poster
Posts: 17
Joined: 31 Aug 2008, 00:21

dmathew

Post by DMathew »

as you have all gathered I haven't the slightest idea about the makings of the piano. :? :oops:

damper slap rail sounds about right to me. :lol:

All i know is it's working
:D
User avatar
sussexpianos
Persistent Poster
Persistent Poster
Posts: 363
Joined: 19 Aug 2006, 17:01
Location: East Sussex
Contact:

Post by sussexpianos »

Im glad it works now.
Im off to the action bar, anyone for a drink?
Brumtuner
Persistent Poster
Persistent Poster
Posts: 148
Joined: 08 Feb 2008, 18:09

Post by Brumtuner »

"anyone for a drink?"

I'll set-off by rail, soon.
djtoast
Junior Poster
Junior Poster
Posts: 8
Joined: 14 Jan 2008, 00:50
Location: Glasgow, Scotland

Re: All is well..

Post by djtoast »

Barrie Heaton wrote: it maybe just a Terminology problem as in
we say set off and the Yanks say let off
"let off" means something else where I live :oops:
User avatar
sussexpianos
Persistent Poster
Persistent Poster
Posts: 363
Joined: 19 Aug 2006, 17:01
Location: East Sussex
Contact:

Post by sussexpianos »

LOL nice one Brum. I was going to type something else but thought I couln't match it :)[/quote]
Barrie Heaton
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 3603
Joined: 30 May 2003, 20:42
Location: Lanc's
Contact:

Re: All is well..

Post by Barrie Heaton »

djtoast wrote:
Barrie Heaton wrote: it maybe just a Terminology problem as in
we say set off and the Yanks say let off
"let off" means something else where I live :oops:
Must be sexual then !

Barrie
Barrie Heaton
Web Master UK Piano Page
Brumtuner
Persistent Poster
Persistent Poster
Posts: 148
Joined: 08 Feb 2008, 18:09

Post by Brumtuner »

'Let off' - Sexual?


You must have a very broad-minded missus.
vernon
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 914
Joined: 12 Mar 2008, 10:29
Location: N.E.Scotland
Contact:

Post by vernon »

I think Barrie must have a half-blow in mind
Brumtuner
Persistent Poster
Persistent Poster
Posts: 148
Joined: 08 Feb 2008, 18:09

Post by Brumtuner »

Along with a sluggish action?
PianoGuy
Executive Poster
Executive Poster
Posts: 1689
Joined: 21 May 2005, 18:29

Post by PianoGuy »

vernon wrote:I think Barrie must have a half-blow in mind
Ba dum tish!

"My name's Vern, aah'll be here aal week...."
Post Reply