Vs: bobbling hammers-1993 Kranich&Bach

[Ron Nossaman]

At 03:25 PM 2/3/98 -0600, you wrote:
>Ron,
>If the key is still partially depressed (that's when most of this bobbling
>takes place) the jack is out from under the butt and the hammer hits
>against it causing the bobble.  If the jack spring is stronger or not, the
>jack will still be out and causing the bobble-am I right?  Not sure I
>understood you.  Thanks.
>Lance Lafargue, RPT
>New Orleans Chapter
>Covington, LA.
>lafargue@iamerica.net
>
>

Since I think left handed, I tend to write inside out. so I'll give it
another shot. Maybe I'll even make sense this time. As the key is depressed,
the spoon picks up the damper, with a detectable increase in resistance. As
it's depressed further, you can feel the jack foot contact the letoff
button. The resulting change in feel is pretty dramatic in these actions and
seems to tell you to stop pushing because you are at the bottom of the
stroke. You are not, and the hammer bounces off the top of the jack and
double strikes. It seems to happen worst with light-touch pianists. The more
experienced players seem to really like the crisp *snap* at let-off. People
who traded up from mushy old actions and beginners, especially small
children, have the worst time with this because (I think) they *ride* the
key down with the weight of a finger or hand instead of *pushing* it down.
When they learn to stroke through that let-off resistance to the bottom of
the dip, the problem goes away. That's why I try to limit my "fixes" to
something easily and quickly reversible. Usually just explaining what is
happening is enough and they become aware of how they depress keys and...
the problem goes away without me having to change a thing. This can be one
of those "remote hero" telephone service calls if you get lucky. Was that
better?

 
 Ron Nossaman