Cross section of a Wurlitzer 112 action assembly. We have edited the photo to show what an unseated hammer looks like and how the fly falls behind the regulating screw.
In this article, we discuss 112 hammers that are significantly lower in height than other keys. These keys will not hit and will feel ‘stuck’. This sometimes happens when the Wurlitzer 112 has been moved around, placed on its back, or placed upside down. This can also happen simply when a key is removed to be worked on.
Because the fly (or jack) is different on the 112, it is connected to the whip in a way where it has a more free rotation than in later models. The only thing that is keeping the fly in place on the hammer butt is the back end of the regulating screw. Thus, the 112’s fly can sometimes become unseated from the hammer butt. When this happens, the hammer sits about half an inch lower than a hammer that is otherwise seated correctly.
The Wurlitzer 112 was a revolutionary new product when it was released in the mid 1950s. Wurlitzer’s goal was to build an electronic piano that kept many of the same mechanical principles as an acoustic piano, and that’s why the electronic piano has such as piano-like feel. To keep the size of the electronic piano small and facilitate its electrostatic pickup, Wurlitzer shrank down the conventional piano action and made a few novel adjustments. Unfortunately, one side effect was that the 112’s fly could sometimes pop out. Later electronic pianos such as those in the 120, 140-series, and 200-series, do not have this problem. Each generation has a redesign that was intended to address the mechanical shortcomings of earlier models.
HOW DO I GET THE FLY BACK IN AND FIX MY HAMMER?
There is no tool for this—well, none that you can get at the hardware store. We use the wire from a coat hanger, but maybe you could get something with a slightly smaller gauge. Twelve gauge hanger wire for hung ceilings may work, although we haven’t tried it yet.
The stiff, but pliable wire can be fashioned into a 10” length with a 1cm curved hook at the end. This is usually perfect to reach between the fallen hammer in question and it’s neighboring hammer. Lifting the droopy hammer with your other hand, hook its fly and pull it forward a bit into place. If you then release the hammer onto the fly and the hammer sits at its new higher position, the key should play normally and you are back in business.
WHAT IF MY HAMMER IS ONLY SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN THE OTHER HAMMERS?
If your hammer is only slightly lower than the other hammers, then the problem is probably not the fly. Instead, it could be compressed key cloth, or excessive lost motion.
The back of the key sits on a felt key cloth. It should appear even and not visibly compressed. If you have your keys out, inspect that this cloth is in good shape, as this can affect the keys and the height of their corresponding hammer. Additionally, the capstan located on the back of the key is at the point of lost motion for this piano. Its height will affect the hammer height to a slight degree.