Steinway pedal fix

Horace Greeley horace@compadept.com
Sun, 11 Feb 1996 13:39:35 -0800


At 09:38 AM 2/11/96 -0700, you wrote:
>> >Keith McGavern wrote:
>> >I believe he makes the hole larger where the brass rod travels through,
>> >creates a pilot hole in the underlever lift rail and in the wood lever
>> >where the brass rod contacts, and makes a wood dowel with a fluted pedal
>> >pin and punching at each end.
>
>> On the other hand, if you are fortunate enough not to have had this
>> questionable procedure performed, cleaning, polishing and rebushing with
>> quality material, followed by careful regulation will give the performer a
>> positively bomb-proof, more sensitively controllable pedal.  It is, of
>> course, more trouble...
>>
>> Best,
>>
>> Horace
>
>How does added friction make for a more sensitive pedal?
>
>
Vince,

If the setup is properly done, there is little friction, and what there is
tends to smooth our the operation of the pedal.

The key, as always is careful work.  This takes time, and no one knows
better than myself that, especially in modern institutional settings, time
is the most valuable commodity.

What concerns me, in this as in other matters, is the nature of the analytic
frame of reference.  When looking at a given problem, how do we approach it?
Do we (read I), look at a given issue and say - "That's ridiculous!  Anyone
can plainly see that this other way is better."  Or, do we see the same
issue and say - "The people who designed/built this widget had complete
control over doing so and chose this specific method of doing 'blah', why?"

I have certainly seen (in 29 years) many, perhaps even most, of these pedals
improperly set up.  On the other hand, most of them are done at best half
way, with inferior materials, especially as to the felt in the keybed itself
- the supposed greatest culprit.  How can we fault a design which we do not
properly execute?

Best,

Horace

_________________________________________________________________________
Horace Greeley, RPT                       14 Pyxie Lane
Piano Technician & Consultant             San Carlos, CA 94070-1506
The Colburn School of Performing Arts           415.592.6620
Los Angeles, CA                           horace@compadept.com
_________________________________________________________________________




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