Pinning and Tone

[Fred Sturm]

--On Tuesday, October 28, 2003 8:08 AM -0700 Jim Busby <jim_busby@byu.edu> 
wrote:

> Richard,
>
> This is exactly what started this thread, and after my visit with Eric
> Schandall and repinning to 4 grams with higher checking things are
> working wonderfully. Fred said 1-3 grams, but Eric told me "No less than
> 2, no more than 4". Also, they are making the tails a bit longer and
> want higher checking. It doesn't hurt repetition. It helps it. The key
> seems to be to pay careful attention to the rep spring strength. No
> bouncing, jerking, etc. but a firm rise w/o a jump.
>
> Jim Busby BYU
>
Yes,I think high checking is the key. What we were told was "as high as 
possible", meaning just missing dragging on up stroke. And with current 
factory tail radius and check angle, 3/8" is the norm (used to be hard to 
get 5/8 with the "bad old days" tail shape and length, and check geometry). 
My own take is that if I have a problem with checking, I'd rather live with 
it than compromise on let-off or drop. Scuff the tails more often, keep the 
rep spring maybe a tad weaker (in terms of perceived rapidity of rise) than 
I might otherwise. If you have high checking, even if piano/pianissimo 
check isn't very reliable, it won't be troublesome to the pianist. Not 
nearly as much as increased drop, IMO.
Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico