key width

[John Lillico, RPT]

>I tuned a Steinway L and an August Forster piano yesterday. The client made a 
>comment about the key width differences between the two of them. So I 
>measured and sure enough, there is a difference. The ivories are the same 
>width on both pianos, but the ebonies on the Steinway were about 1/32" wider 
>than the Forster. The gap between the keys on the Forster, however, was about 
>1/64" more than on the Steinway. The over all effect, though, was that the 
>Forster key spread was narrower, which she had to get used to,
>
>Not being a piano player, I would never have noticed the difference, but has 
>anyone else ever heard of this? Are there other pianos out there with 
>narrower, (or wider) than usual key spreads?
>
>The Forster was made in East Germany, and the polyester finish on it is 
>cracking, as is the finish on the soundboard.
>
>Wim 

Now, this is interesting! Wim, when I was first single and stupid, a kindergarten teacher told me that the octave span on her school piano was different from hers at home. I didn't believe her and, one day when I was tuning at the school, we made a bet.

I lost!! I don't remember by how much, but we got married anyway.

I lost again!!!! Two troublesome years and a son later, I was on my own.

Pretending to know everything about this business sure got me into a lot of trouble. Alimony, child support and all because some clown made a wider octave.

I haven't been too sure of myself since.

John Lillico, RPT (I think)
Oakville, Ontario, Canada