M&H uprights/ Re: Jack Wyatt - G Scale M&H

[Delwin D Fandrich]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Charles Neuman" <piano@charlesneuman.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: March 18, 2002 12:01 PM
Subject: Re: M&H uprights/ Re: Jack Wyatt - G Scale M&H



Some comments, if you don't mind....

> Stephen Airy <stephen_airy@yahoo.com> wrote:
> >
> > If I was a piano manufacturer/dealer I wouldn't
> > make/sell grands smaller than those with the same
> > length or shorter strings, or same or less soundboard
> > area than my uprights.

What does soundboard area have to do with piano performance? All of our
redesign/remanufacturing work involves reducing the active soundboard area.


>
> Well, having said what I said before about prefering a good upright to a
> medium-quality grand, there are some advantages to a grand that some
> customers prefer. First, there's the look of it.

As we shall see, this is about the only valid reason. And it's one we
encountered frequently while we were building the Fandrich 122 Vertical.


>
> Second, a grand action is
> faster. (However, I found that a well-regulated Renner upright action is
> pretty darn fast. If I can ever play well enough that the Renner upright
> action won't cut it, then fine -- I deserve a grand anyway. But I don't
> expect that to happen any time soon.)

No, it isn't. But it feels faster because you have better control over it.
The Fandrich Vertical Action did/does not improve repetition speed but it
does remove dynamic lost motion. It is that dynamic lost motion that makes
the vertical action fell sloppy and slow.


>
> Third, uprights tend to have a more
> muffled sound due to the fact that they are enclosed in cabinetry.

This can be resolved with open cabinetry. Many old uprights dealt with this
by installing grillwork covered with decorative cloth. A bit of extra work,
but worth it. Also, cabinetry can be made a bit 'loose.' That is, gaps can
be introduced to allow sound to escape. Front panels can be made of light
and thin wood panels instead of MDF. Caster block extensions can be used to
ensure that the piano is not pushed flush to the wall--helps with stability
as well.


>
> Many
> people like a really bright sound, and it's easier to get that in a grand.
> The small and inexpensive ones are really good at providing that.

They can be educated. In some cases they probably need to be encouraged to
check out hearing aids.


>
>(I
> prefer a mellow sound anyway, so the fact that an upright is enclosed
> doesn't bother me. Furthermore, the sound of a vertical can be changed a
> lot by raising the lid part way or all the way.  Unfortunately, most
> people put family pictures on top of the lid, so they don't realize the
> potential of their upright piano.)

Perhaps a side business of manufacturing and selling faux pianos for the
family pictures would be in order. Besides, in my experience when folks move
from vertical picture holders to grand picture holders it simply means they
can store more pictures.


>
> Also, I found that one can't go by the soundboard area and string length
> specifications only. For example, It's true that the M&H doesn't have the
> longest strings, and you can hear that the fundamental isn't so pronounced
> toward the bottom. But I'd give that up any day for the thick and warm
> bass sound a M&H has.

Yes, both are true. It isn't the length, it's what you do with the length
you have.

Del