Steinway key width

David M. Porritt dm.porritt@verizon.net
Sun, 26 May 2002 18:56:21 -0500


Tommy:

The width of Steinway keys have changed over the years.  Early ones
were narrower and had slightly bigger spaces between.  Later ones
were wider with smaller "cracks".  Now since the early 1990s the keys
are wider yet and the whole span of the keyboard is 3/8" wider -
48-3/8" as opposed to 48" before.  This change happened when they got
Kluge to make their keys.  Now Steinway owns Kluge.

dave

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 5/26/02 at 7:17 PM Bigeartb@AOL.COM wrote:

>List:
>     Are the keys on all Steinway pianos the same width. The pianist
at a 
>local church believes the keys on their 1925 rebuilt Steinway and
the keys
>on 
>her Kawai are more narrow than the keys on the 1969 Steinway
recently
>donated 
>to their church. I want to know the answer before I measure. I have
never 
>ever had a client ask that question nor have I ever thought about
it. She 
>claims she plays in the cracks of the keys. What a sound I am sure.
I 
>measured my Yamaha grand and the white keys measure 29/32". 
>
>Tommy Black
>Decatur, Ala.


_____________________________
David M. Porritt
dporritt@mail.smu.edu
Meadows School of the Arts
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX 75275
_____________________________




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