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

[Stephen Airy]

I can see that I need a good education.  :)

Next time I go to a piano store, what would be some
pianos you would recommend that I compare?

--- Delwin D Fandrich <pianobuilders@olynet.com>
wrote:
> 
> ----- 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
> 


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