Anyone heard of a Steen Nielsen piano? The one I just worked on is a bizarre little thing. Five octave compass, all monochords, but a true grand. I guess you would have to call it a zygote grand, because it's about a meter in length. The action is the most unusual part. Looks almost like it was designed without reference to any other action, past or present. The key ends clamp onto a rod and springs underneath the keys press them against a rail. Flathead screws on top of the key adjust the height of the key for leveling and roundhead screws underneath fit into the springs to adjust spring tension. Letoff is by means of a jack fastened upside down on the underside of the key itself and the jack head, covered with leather, pushes against an extension of the hammer shank beyond the pivot point, which raises the hammer head itself. Lots of other odd things about it and I made a lot of digital pictures. If you're interested I'll put them in an on lline album, although I don't know when. It's a fairly recent design, though why anyone went to such trouble, I don't know. Got to admit some aspects of it are kind of ingenious. Anyone know where I can get more info, especially the best way to regulate it? Paul Larudee
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