[CAUT] Natural key width

[David Ilvedson]

What hammers is he using?   Renner parts...?

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA  94044

----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: "Porritt, David" <dporritt at mail.smu.edu>
To: "College and University Technicians" <caut at ptg.org>
Received: 1/29/2008 9:49:32 AM
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Natural key width


>Fred:

>When David Steinbuhler first said that he was going to make an action to
>fit any D I suppressed a 
>smile as I didn't think it could be done.  A few weeks later the action
>arrived and indeed it can be adapted to fit any D.  There are
>adjustments for damper timing, keyframe bedding, una corda placement,
>everything.  It helps that the action was totally of his manufacture.
>The hammer flange rail is flat so hammer spacing is easy to do, the pins
>that go under the cheek blocks are fully adjustable in all directions.
>Key bedding is quite ingenious.  I'm very glad now that I didn't say "it
>can't be done" because he has clearly done it.  The only Steinway
>factory part is the sostenuto rod and that only because it was easier to
>buy it than to make one.  The rest of the action, brass brackets, wooden
>rails, key frame etc. are Steinbuhler.  

>One assumes that any venue that has a D and puts on concerts will have
>some arrangement with a technician of some skill.  Generally I'd say
>that any technician who can keep artists happy with a standard D can
>make the adjustments necessary on this action.  The venues where this
>one has been, have been mostly colleges and the resident technicians had
>no obvious problems making it work well.  We have a box that David made
>for shipping the action that has protected it in transit.

>I'm sure there will be further development in the action but the current
>product is a very capable one.  

>dave

>David M. Porritt, RPT
>dporritt at smu.edu

>-----Original Message-----
>From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of
>Fred Sturm
>Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 10:55 AM
>To: College and University Technicians
>Subject: Re: [CAUT] Natural key width

>Hi David,
>	I'd be a bit worried taking a keyframe/action assembly with me.

>First, getting it packed well and having it arrive safe and sound at  
>the venue at the other end; and then packed well for the return. But  
>second, you would need to be certain there was a tech at the other end  
>capable of doing the work needed. And it _could_ be a lot, depending  
>on a lot of factors. For instance, width of keyblocks (might not  
>accommodate optimum positioning - S&S keyblocks are custom cut to each  
>piano in the factory, so width is not standard); alignment of hammers  
>to strings (capo sections can vary a lot, and agraffes often do as  
>well); string height; string level (or out of level); unison spacing  
>in the capo sections (individual strings within the trichord -  
>especially problematic for una corda voicing). It might work out fine,  
>but it might turn out to be a nightmare, where a less than fully  
>competent tech faced a problematic fit. Certainly getting it in  
>concert ready condition would need a top notch, efficient tech, at  
>least in many cases. And how can a pianist know whether X tech in a  
>far away venue is competent in that way? Pretty much a roll of the  
>dice in many cases, especially off the beaten path. I guess if it  
>became common enough, a grapevine of techs and pianists would develop.
>	I suppose going back and forth from 7/8 or 15/16 to full
>wouldn't  
>really be any harder than going from violin to viola, probably an  
>almost instant adaptation for a decent pianist. It's where I go from a  
>keyboard where I can fairly consistently reach that 10th around the  
>edges of the corners of those naturals (without making one of them  
>sound a little) to one where it is definitely hit or miss that is more  
>disconcerting. So close and yet so far. Frustrating as all get out.
>Regards,
>Fred Sturm
>University of New Mexico
>fssturm at unm.edu