Second Action for Steinway Concert Grand

Michael Jorgensen Michael.Jorgensen@cmich.edu
Thu Dec 10 06:27 MST 1998


Hello CAUT and Ken Sloan (if you're out there),
      I recall Ken Sloan teaching in a class on how he built a second 
action for a concert grand at Oberlin so that pianists could have two
options of voicing with one piano.  What I want to know is, has anyone
else done this?  How much does it cost?  Who did the keyset, keyframe,
action rails etc?  Did both actions use NY hammers or other "genuine
parts"?  How well did this work?  What unexpected pitfalls were there? 
Was Steinway willing to do this?  How much of the work could you do
yourself?  Where do you store it?  Has it made your job a headache in
anyway, (i.e. artists making you pull the action twenty times so they
can make up their mind which one to use)?  This would make a great
Journal Article.  
     I am seriously considering making a recommendation to do this given
that artists can't agree on how bright a piano should be, and we have
one D which must please all.
Thanks in advance
-Mike Jorgensen RPT
School of Music, Central Michigan University.


This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC