Archive of the former Yahoo!Groups mailing list: The Mellotron Group
Subject: #1697 renovation
From: fdoddy@aol.com
Date: 2014-01-11
Hi Folks,
Well, I just completed phase 1 of my Mellotron renovation. After about 15 years of nearly flawless fairly heavy service, I decided to splurge on my tron.
I purchased 35 new pinch roller assemblies from Streetly. Martin convinced me I should replace the keyboard felt and drive belt as well. Everything was installed today according to Martin's specification. I also balanced and leveled the keys using Martin's tips. Replacing the keyboard felt made an incredible difference in feel. Next up is setting up the keyboard from scratch.
I was amazed at the difference between my old pinch rollers and the new Streetly assemblies. My son summed it up simply, "You're replacing the old thin bald tires with new racing grips". I also noticed the old drive belt was quite slick, while the new belt had considerable tooth. The new rollers have noticeably more grip and the edges are beveled to prevent the roller from cupping. All my old rollers are cupped. Once set up, I am anticipating my machine playing as light as my Hammond with a more consistent playback..very exciting.
I took a bunch of pictures, so I'll review them and post some in a bit if they are interesting.
fritz #1697..feeling the love