CAUT, One of our piano faculty recently purchased a 5-year-old Steinway D that had been in Spokane, WA as a concert artist instrument. He chose the piano because it's touch "invited" him to play. When I first checked it out, the regulation was other than I thought was normal for a D. The key dip was at 3/8", and hammer blow was set such that the hammers were quite high above the rest cushions. In all my wit and wisdom - even though he liked it that way - I thought I would try deepening the key dip to .390, lowering the hammer line, tweaking let-off, and thus giving him more power and bringing the piano in line with what I thought (still think, according to the Steinway manual) are normal parameters. WRONG! Although it regulated well, the piano no longer "invited" him to play. After a couple tries at reversing the process, the piano now invites him to play again with the dip at 3/8", a "generous" let-off, and the hammers 1/2" above the rest cushions (I think blow ended up between 1 5/8 - 1 3/4"). However, the bass hammers are brushing the pin block as the action is pushed in, repetition is not what it should be, and on a very hard blow there is a clicking/knocking sound that I believe is the jack slapping up against the hammer flange because the wippen is so high. What can be done about this situation? Does the stack need to be shimmed higher? The "inviting" touch the pianist wants seems to require a shallow dip, but more than a minimal amount of aftertouch. Any light you can shed on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Jeff Stickney, RPT University of Montana jpage@selway.umt.edu
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC