Author: graham
Date: 2024-05-20 13:47
I discussed this a few weeks ago. It’s the tendency for the pad of this key to bounce so you get a gap in a legato passage between, say, F sharp and E, or C sharp and B. I have found a solution to this on my bass. I had already tried a softer pad, which didn’t work, putting a weight on the pad-cup, which didn’t work, and a tech said that strengthening the spring wouldn’t work (and I don’t want a heavier action there either).
What has worked is: I screwed out the pivot screw at the top of the key mechanism such that horizontal slack appeared. Not much, just a little wiggle. This doesn’t impair pad sealing, nor change the feel of the action. But the slackness seems to soak up the energy that was causing pad bounce. Legato is restored.
Of course, having a loose screw is not brilliant. But it would be possible to permanently buffer the screw such that it could be tightened up and still have some wiggle. Not good for silent action, but a good legato is much more important in my view.
Hope that’s helpful.
graham
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