It was selected at the factory so a swap probably never was likely.
A cautionary tale to us all. Those delegated to select pianos (NY Stwys, anyway) should include a technician, looking specifically for the problem under discussion (among other things).
Alan Eder
-----Original Message-----
From: Andrew Anderson <andrew at andersonmusic.com>
To: caut at ptg.org
Sent: Sun, Feb 28, 2010 7:03 am
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Shimming the Steinway Action stack to reach the strings
I suggested that they make a warranty issue out of it. The Steinway dealer pretty much shut that one down. It was selected at the factory so a swap probably never was likely. Although, I know NMSU did so under similar circumstances. There was a lot more political clout available there, possibly a more supportive dealer too.
When I moved here the school complained to me how they were not able to get basic service from the dealer. The D had never been prepped according to the dealer's tech. The school had me go through it and it was in a sorry state. At that point I notified them that I could not make it play like the other S&S D in town (per their request) because it wasn't built like the other D in town. (Another piano that I found in a shocking state and put a lot of hours into.) I talked with Steinway New York about possible solutions and they suggested shimming the action. I figured that work related to how a D was built should be a dealer prep/warranty issue and recommended that they contact the dealer and seek resolution. The more so since it was still on the short warranty.
Sometime after this I was dressed down by a well-dressed woman after a concert for talking to the school about any issues with the piano. She insisted that I should talk with her about what I find in a Steinway. I asked "Excuse me, have we met before?" When she continued to insisted on my ">responsibility<" to her I followed with, "I'll have to check with my accountant, but I'm pretty sure I haven't received any payments from you." She didn't like that and assured me that no customer of hers would ever seek service from me. I have run into another poorly/un prepped Steinway since...
She did finally send her tech down and he told the piano professor that since he was a "big tall man, he would like the piano set up like Cliburn's piano." He then settled for a long hammer stroke with deep aftertouch as well. The students and faculty abandoned the D in droves for the older B. Visiting artists had interesting things to say, none of it complementary. When I was asked by them about it I would simply say that it had been specially set up this way by the Steinway dealer's technician.
So now here we are with the piano off of the short warranty and the faculty ready to have something done to retrieve the piano. They're not excited about talking to the dealer again.
Andrew Anderson
On Feb 26, 2010, at 2:35 PM, Porritt, David wrote:
Why do we keep talking about doing this kind of semi-heroic stuff when it is a warranty issue? Six figures was spent to get this thing and the company that got the 6 figures out to make a 6 figure piano out of it.
dp
David M. Porritt, RPT
dporritt at smu.edu
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Chris Solliday
Sent: Friday, February 26, 2010 1:59 PM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Shimming the Steinway Action stack to reach the strings
String Height minus Hammer Bore equals Shank Center Pin Height. We use laminated shim stock that we get from the local hobby store. Realize that just raising the pin height MIGHT work, but consider the arc of the hammer blow. You could end up with the hammer over centering if you simply raise the feet under the hammer flange pins. You need to imagine the pin in space and rotate the stack around it so that the stike point ends up at ninety degrees to the string. It might not be that now. Usually this means shimming the front foot slightly as well. Best of luck Andrew.
Chris Solliday, RPT
----- Original Message -----
From: Andrew Anderson
To: caut at ptg.org
Sent: Friday, February 26, 2010 12:45 PM
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Shimming the Steinway Action stack to reach the strings
Yes, mea culpa. Wasn't really thinking the numbers...most likely 2"+
On Feb 26, 2010, at 11:30 AM, reggaepass at aol.com wrote:
The school whose Steinways I service is not satisfied with the dealer's warranty fix (greater then 1" blow distance).
Andrew,
Not sure what you mean by this ("greater then 1" blow distance"). Did you mean greater than 2" (since it sounds like the strings are too high)?
Alan Eder
-----Original Message-----
From: Andrew Anderson <andrew at andersonmusic.com>
To: College and University Technicians <caut at ptg.org>
Sent: Fri, Feb 26, 2010 9:13 am
Subject: [CAUT] Shimming the Steinway Action stack to reach the strings
The school whose Steinways I service is not satisfied with the dealer's warranty fix (greater then 1" blow distance). They are requesting that the piano be made to play like it should which will require shimming the stack so it is within reach of the strings (>1/4" between fully backed out drop-screws and pinblock).
Has anyone done this? What was the scope of work required? What is a reasonable amount of time to complete the work?
Thanks
Andrew Anderson
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