November 2022 TEK-LETTER

TEK-LETTER Pianotek Supply Company

November 2022

SCHEDULE

November 24 - 27

Closed for Thanksgiving

December 23 - January 1

Closed for holidays

Remember to stock up on water-based glues before winter.

Pianotek Supply Company is your source for piano parts and supplies.

At Pianotek Supply Company, our goal is to not only provide great products, but to also back them up with solid technical support, thereby allowing you the technician to complete your work with full confidence of customer satisfaction. We care about sustaining the arts, and in particular, we care about the future of the piano and music as integral parts of our culture.

Reach us at 1-800-347-3854 or [email protected].

Deluxe 3-in-1 Side Voicing Tool

This unique side voicing tool is actually a high-end multi-function tool that acts not only as a hammerhead side voicer, but also includes the added features of a grand hammerhead extractor and center pin removal & replacement tool.

Voicing hammers through the side is a technique widely employed in Europe, and is now gaining popularity here in the U.S. The spring-loaded barrel with a roller bearing and handle combination allows for effortless, repeated attacks with little or no stress to the wrist or hand. By simply loosening the top set screw, the voicing barrel can be quickly removed to adjust or replace needles.

The grand hammerhead extractor and center pin tool are included as two separate barrels with coil spring attached. To insert, simply loosen the top set screw, remove the existing barrel, and replace. You are ready to go within seconds. Because of the high resistance of the coil spring, removing even the most stubborn of hammerheads is a snap. Center pins are removed conventionally and pins are re-inserted using the bottom of the handle to push the new pin through.

#VT-1000 Deluxe 3-in-1 Side Voicing Tool $385.00

Beautiful anodized finish in gun metal grey.

Hammer Side Voicing Tool.

Hammerhead Extractor.

Center Pinning Tool.

Protective cloth pouch included.

Video Demo

Grand Action Support Kit

Stop using your thighs as a table!

Our Grand Action Support Kit makes regulation a whole lot easier. Made of hardwood, it mounts securely to the underside of any grand keybed.

Just drill a small hole (or use an existing hole) and screw the small arm onto the keybed with the cheekblock screw provided. The longer arm extends to create a sturdy support for the action. (A wooden shim is included for use on uneven or shallow keybeds.)

#JGK-1 Action Support $52.00

Video Demo

Electric Shank Bending Pliers

Hammer alignment (also known as "mating" the hammers to the strings) is an essential part of piano regulation. It is accomplished by "travelling" the shank flange (normally with thin paper shims) to the rail and bending the shank itself near the hammer. The most common way of shank bending involves heat using either an alcohol lamp or butane lighters. While these methods do work, they can result in actual charring of the wood or igniting unintended small fires.

Our electric shank bending pliers eliminate any potential risks of this nature. Simple and easy to use, these pliers are the best for the job.

FEATURES:

* Pre-set heat level for optimum bending.

* Easy access top-mounted on/off switch.

* Measures just over 12" long with a 6' cord.

* Weighs 14 oz.

* Comfortable grip.

#JSP-2 Electric Shank Bending Pliers $172.50

#JSP-2H Spare Heating Elements $46.50

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Colorful Rubber Wedge Mutes

Using Colored Rubber Wedge Mutes is the best way to ensure not losing them!

These very popular rubber mutes are available in your choice of red, blue, or yellow. Each brightly colored mute is 4-1/4 inch long x 1/2 inch wide.

#MR-1C Colored Mute $ 1.25

Wurzen High Performance Balance Rail Punchings

Experience real positive touch! The firmness of our Wurzen balance rail punchings provides a very precise key level.

These extra high quality punchings are 1/2 inch in diameter with a thickness of .055" (1.4mm). Sold in packs of 100 pieces.

#PX-13WZ

Wurzen Balance Punchings $12.95

Multi-Task Tweezers

Our Our 12-inch straight and 10-inch bent-tip tweezers (shown) are a perfect complement to your tool kit and not something you might readily find at hardware stores.

They come in handy for a number of tasks, such as retrieving small parts or inserting cut paper balance rail punchings without removing the action, just to name a few. When you need to improvise, these tweezers will do the job.

#TW-10 10" Bent Tip $15.95

##TW-12 12" Straight $13.95

TEK TIP

Poplar Key Plugs

Part of the process of touch design for grand actions involves re-leading the keys. This means that through very precise calculations, new key leads will be installed, usually at different locations than the originals. Once the old key leads are removed, the problem that arises is how to repair the holes and prepare the key for new leads.

A great method for making these repairs is to use wood key plugs. Pianotek has designed a fast and accurate system to prepare keys for new key leads.

Key lead diameters normally appear in 3 sizes: 3/8", 7/16", and 1/2" Rather than trying to create 3 different plug sizes, the original holes are re-drilled with a 9/16" (.563") core drill and a wooden plug is glued in place. The plug is made of poplar and is 19/32" (.594") long with a .555" diameter. Poplar is lightweight and very closely matches the original key material in weight and color. Another advantage of using poplar key plugs is that they can be very quickly flush cut with a dowel saw very soon after gluing. They sand very easily, provide structural integrity, and leave an aesthetically pleasing look.

The core drill (#37-PD), the poplar plugs (#KLD-P9), and the Dowel Saw (#JBS-2204) are all available at Pianotek.

The Craft of Piano Tuning

^{by Daniel Levitan, RPT}

Pianotek is pleased to offer Dan Levitan's complete guide to the craft of piano tuning. This essential text covers both its aural and manual aspects. At the heart of each of the book's two sections -- The Tuner's Ear and The Tuner's Hand -- is an essay explaining in detail the standard practices of piano tuning in terms of their underlying acoustics and mechanics. Supplemental readings (including intentional mistuning, efficient tuning, minimizing physical stress, and hearing protection) expand on the essays and provide a wealth of practical information and tips.

Author Daniel Levitan is well known for his contributions to the piano tuning community through his dozens of exceptional articles for The Piano Technicians Journal and his many classes at national and international conferences. He has also created and designed four unique and very popular tuning hammers, and has partnered with Pianotek for their manufacture and distribution. A graduate in 1975 of the North Bennet Street School in Boston, he maintains a private piano service business in New York City.

252 pages. Hardcover. Click photo for sample pages.

#BKSP-53 The Craft of Piano Tuning $75.00

CLOSEOUT SALE on following items . . .

The following items are on sale. Please order quickly since these have limited quantities.

Mohawk Grain Filler Solvent

Use to dilute Mohawk Grain Filler -- for adjusting dry time.

Quart.

#M608-1066 Mohawk Filler Solvent

(Regular price $49.95)

Closeout sale price $21.00

Polished Brass Grand Pedals

These pedal sets were sent to us in error but the manufacturer did not want to pay return shipping. They are polished brass with overall length at 8" and the pin to rod center is 2-1/2". The rod center hole is drilled all the way through and not cupped like conventional pedals, and the underside is hollowed out. The back end of the pedal would have to be modified to render it useable. If you compare the current cost for our regular stock polished grand pedals (over $76.00 per set), we are practically giving these away. (Photo shows middle pedal upside-down.)

#RH-314 Grand Pedal Closeout

Closeout sale price $12.00

Grand Lid Hinge Nickel Finish

Steinway style. Beautiful high polish nickel lid hinge. First quality -- we are merely overstocked.

Measurements in inches:

4-9/16 from tip to center of hinge

1-1/4 from center of hinge to bend

7/8 from bend to end

1-15/16 across end

#RH-5055N Nickel Lid Hinge

(Regular price $26.00)

Closeout sale price $15.00