Jeff Stickney <jpage@selway.umt.edu> wrote: >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"). Allen Wright <allen.wright@oberlin.edu> wrote: >The Steinway manual gives blow distances of 1" 7/8 for D's and 1" 3/4 for >all others. They show keydip as .390 for B and D's, .420 for the rest. ----------------- Greetings. Last year I was called in to 'tweak' a newer "B" that had been delivered to a pianist at a school and prepared to his specifications prior to delivery. He _loved_ the way it felt and responded, but the sound was starting to get fuzzy and the regulation a bit uneven -- the usual complaints after playing it for 6 months. So I was given a day to file/regulate/voice. I filed the hammers, leveled strings, fit the hammers, shored up the regulation and tuned the piano. "Ahhh, just like new!" was the comment. "I love it!". The specifications when I started (and when I finished) were: * key dip .420++ * hammer blow 2" (practically resting on the cushions) * aftertouch ample * let-off and drop normal. * hammer centers 8-10 swings * DW 60, UW 30 (+/-) The interesting thing is the piano is responsive, has good repetition, and is amazingly easy to control. When I pointed out to the pianist the discrepancies from Steinway's 'normal specifications' he understood exactly what I was talking about. Apparently (I am told) there is a very respected teacher at a very respected university out there who has the resident technician regulate a number of the instruments this way. The students get used to the feeling and responsiveness of the instruments and then end up searching and asking for pianos that are similar -- perhaps not unlike the situation with the piano Jeff is working with that "invites" the pianist to play. I'd be interested to hear if anyone else out there has had a similar experience. Rolf von Walthausen Interlochen Center for the Arts
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