This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment I believe it has more to do with marketing that with performance. If one = wanted to make an upright with a una-corda pedal - one would make just = that - I believe it has been done before on an upright. But obviously = that costs more and the reason that most folks buy a vertical piano is = cost savings. Hence the poor-man's una-corda. So why bother with a pedal at all? Because, as we all know in America, = all pianos have three pedals - even if two are connected to the same = mechanism and even if the mechanism doesn't really do anything. I think the soft pedal on an upright moves the hammers closer to the = strings and potentially allows the pianist to play softer more easily. I = should think it would work to some degree, but I also think that it = would require a good quality, well designed and manufactured upright = (not a console) that is in good playing condition and is well regulated = (and I mean friction, et. al.). However, my observations have been similar to yours - the soft pedal on = a vertical doesn't do much. Do the keys go down when the soft pedal is depressed? Get the hammer blow back to spec (1-3/4" to 1-7/8"). Check to see that = the soft pedal has as much travel as is possible - sometimes there will = be a very thick felt on the bottom board that limits pedal travel. See = that the piano is well regulated - this may be an opportunity to sell a = complete regulation - or have the dealer pay for it (don't hold your = breath). This sounds like a new piano - what model? Or, tell your client to get a good quality grand with a genuine = una-corda pedal and mechanism. Hope some of this helps. Terry Farrell ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Alpha88x@aol.com=20 To: pianotech@ptg.org=20 Sent: Sunday, July 25, 2004 4:13 PM Subject: soft pedal on new Kawaii Greetings,=20 Why wouldn't a soft pedal on a brand new Kawaii studio = upright not make the piano play any softer when depressed? I checked = the distance of the hammers and the pedal, caused the hammers, sure = enough, to get closer to the strings, but the tone of playing did not = get softer as it should; I mean alomost NO tonal difference. So...I adjusted the soft pedal screw, down at the pedal = until my ear was satified as to the softness. Adjusting this made the = hammers distance about 1/2" closer to the strings than it was set at. = Then, when I looked at the hammer rest rail, it was up off it's resting = position on the action bracket. In other words, there was about 1/4" = space between the hammer rest rail's bottom and the felt on the action = brackets. When I measured the resting position distance of the hammers = to the strings it was 38mm!! I know this is too close, but now the = pedal causes the hammers to play softer.... The girl needed to practice for a college entrance or = something, so I lightly glued small pieces of felt in the space in = between the rail and the action brackets, as a temporary measure, as to = allow the pedal to do what it is suppose to do, so she could practice. = Howevwer, I told them I would investigate the specs and visit as a = follow up. What could the true problem be here? My guess that it has to = do with voicing. (38mm and up off the action bracket, doesn't seem right = and scares me.) Thanks for expertise in advance.=20 (By the way, this was a call from the piano dealer, for = their first free tuning and to look art this pedal's problem under = warranty.)=20 rookie, Julia Gottchall,=20 Reading, PA ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/ad/ed/3b/a5/attachment.htm ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--
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