Grand Carriage

[Don Mannino]

There are a few problems with the change offered below:

1. Large locking casters require a shorter leg. Trimming the legs doesn't
work too well, so converting a Steinway D would require some legs from a
Hamburg D. Perhaps a supply company or Steinway could supply these with the
casters already installed.
2. The mounting of these casters is quite different, with a very large
socket. Once again, a new leg is called for.
3. The piano keybed is affected more by the large casters than by small
ones or the carriage. On a D you should be very careful about aligning both
of the front casters forward or backward for performances or regulating
work. The biggest problem is training the stage crews at concert halls - I
have a hard time getting them to understand this, for those times when the
piano is being rolled into place for a concerto or something.

Some pianos have stiffer keybeds and are affected less by this problem, but
the front casters should still be pointing the same way (front or back)
during use.

Jeff is correct about the sound, too - those piano 'trucks" really eat up
the tone, especially compared to hard casters on a wood stage.

Don Mannino RPT


> Jeff,
>
> If the Yamaha has no problem with the brass casters why not order some
for
> the Steinway (from Pianotek)?  Our rule here at ASU is that if you don't
> need the truck, get the piano back on the stage.
>
> There are two advantages:
>
> The piano, when grounded to the stage floor, sounds much better.
>
> When the wheels are locked, the pianist will never have to worry about
> chasing the piano around the stage during the performance - although I'm
> sure that there is some new music score written somewhere that calls for
> such.
>
> OK, there are three advantages - it looks a whole lot better!
>
> Later,
>
> ----
> Rick Florence, Piano Technician
> Arizona State University School of Music
> Rick.Florence@ASU.Edu
>
>
>