[awholley]

The felt under my LH c finger is a hair too thin. (the pad below the bis pad hits too soon). The felt is high-quality, and I think this is play-in. I can change the timbre and response of low notes with firm pressure on the lower stack or by pushing on the bis key directly. If I play with light finger pressure, I can bounce the bis pad up and down).

Should I:

1) Shim with scotch tape. (or something else better?)
2) Try new felt (I have some from MusicMedic)?
3) Use cork instead? (will this make it clunky/loud)?
4) Bend the key arm (the part with the pearl) down a hair?


Thanks!

 

[Chris Peryagh]

Bend it.

Check both pads to make sure they're both closing together, and adjust by bending until they are.

Bending is the best and easiest way to regulate it (and best in the long term), shims and corks are a pointless exercise and a waste of time and effort.

 

[awholley]

If I bend it, what's the best method? Do I place something under the pad (A) that closes too soon and depress the key?

 

[abadcliche]

IMHO, bending that key can be a bit difficult for a novice. It is absolutely done during the course of an overhaul etc., but you can pretty easily get the A keycup out of sync with the c# ("bar") keycup and have to chase your tail for a little while making adjustments. If everything else is in order, I think it might be easier on you to just change the felt out or you can shim it in a pinch with something of the correct thickness (maybe construction paper? depends on how much play there is) using a dab of contact cement on the shim material and stick it to the felt.

Of course your tech could bend it for you in a minute or two, as well.

 

[Gordon (NZ)]

If I bend it, what's the best method? Do I place something under the pad (A) that closes too soon and depress the key?"

(BTW I totally agree with Chris)

Method chosen depends on the factors in the exact situation, how the parts were made, and is dependent on a range of suitable tool. You really need a good understanding of how the materials behave, how much force you can put on a mounting post without displacing it, how much you have to over-bend and then bend back in order to produce a stable result, etc.

This is why accurate adjustment is best left to techs.

For accurate adjustment we are talking about bends accurate to around 0.0005" or less. And you are unlikely to achieve that easily by changing felt, shimming with paper, using squishy natural cork, etc.