[CAUT] Which S&S replacement action parts?

[Chris Solliday]

It's the shock that triggers the "too smooth" comment. And if one were a
concert artist traveling around the world playing on a variety of Steinway's
and other available variable condition instruments you might not want to get
"too used to" practicing on a piano that essentially performs better than
what is available in the field. It's all relative.
Chris
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard Brekne" <ricb at pianostemmer.no>
To: <caut at ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, June 27, 2008 4:16 AM
Subject: [CAUT] Which S&S replacement action parts?


> I've been finding that if there is one particular component of the
> action where a <<firmness-low-friction-no-wobble>> condition is without
> a doubt big desirable its in the key travel itself.  I  run into various
> vague complaints about control issues when the hammer shanks are too
> friction-free.  In fact I always opt for as firm a hammer travel as I
> can get away with because it yields an apparent increase in the
> solidness (for lack of a better term) of the tone. Much easier to
> maintain exact hammer mating and related voicing issues that way.
> Chris's comment is not an unknown one to me... but its not because the
> thing is actually to even playing.... IME it falls into that category of
> comments one has to get a closer explanation for from the pianist.  The
> more even you can get the actual mechanics of the action... the easier
> it seems to achieve and maintain a good even voicing.  I've never
> experienced anyone making any kind of a comment that I could trace back
> to something negative about the instrument being "too even".
>
> Cheers
> RicB
>
>             Beware of the "it's too smooth" complaint. Actually happened.
>             Chris Solliday rpt
>
>
>
>          > Fred:
>          >
>          > I don't have an answer to the firmness-low-friction-no-wobble
>         thing but
>          > there is an advantage to even friction in even touch weight.
The
>          > highest compliment I feel I can get is when a pianist says
>         "it's so
>          > even!"  If all the shanks are firm, sound good, no wobble
>         etc. but the
>          > friction is uneven you miss that compliment (and I like that
>         one!)
>          >
>          > dave
>          >
>          > David M. Porritt, RPT
>