key width

[bases-loaded@juno.com]

Hi Wim-

I have run across this two times - in both cases it was very accomplished
pianists practicing for a performance on a piano with a different "octave
spread" than their daily piano.  Amazingly, they both wondered if there
was anything I could do about it!  I tried "abracadabra", but that didn't
work.

I must admit at being very surprised to find the differences can be quite
"tangible"...

Mark Potter
bases-loaded@juno.com

On Fri, 28 Jan 2000 09:53:03 EST Wimblees@AOL.COM writes:
> 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