Length of Sharps

[Mike Morvan]

List,
    I second Ron's post, no two keyboards of that era are the same, they are 
all cut by hand and it's anyone's guess. A S&S "L" is not a large grand that 
they would have put 3 11/16" or 3 3/4" sharps on. If you put 3 1/2" sharps 
on they would be fine and no one would know the difference if they were 
supposed to be a fraction of an inch longer. I would be more concerned with 
reestablishing the proper relationship between the height of the sharps to 
the naturals. A lot of people that recover their own keys (or just uncover 
them in this case) don't realize that their is a geometry thing going on 
that must be preserved as they slide the key through the tablesaw. Sharps at 
3.5" in length and a difference of 1/2" in height of the finished naturals 
and sharps should get you where you want to be. We have a few slideshows on 
our website on building up the tops of naturals and sharps that can help if 
need be. Good luck.  Mike

Blackstone Valley piano
Michael A. Morvan
76 Sutton Street
Uxbridge, Ma 01569
(508) 278-9762
www.pianoandorgankeys.com
www.thepianorebuilders.com



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ron Nossaman" <rnossaman at cox.net>
To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 9:10 PM
Subject: Re: Length of Sharps


>
>
>> A set of keys from a 1942 Steinway L arrived in the shop for new whites 
>> and sharps.  All the original tops are GONE!...that includes the sharps. 
>> What I can find to measure is 3 ½”.  I checked on a 1969 Steinway M and 
>> they measure 3 5/8”.  Ebony sharps from the vendors measure 3 ¾”. 
>> Steinway  & Sons were not helpful.  Does anyone have an early 1940’s L 
>> handy to measure them for me?  My concern is the distance between the 
>> back of the sharp to the fall board.  All I have is the keys….Please!!
>
> Very chancy, Paul. They're hand made - every single one, so why would the 
> sharp length be any more uniform than anything else in them? At best, keys 
> in the frame, in the piano, with fall board in place gives you a pencil 
> mark, but you wouldn't be posting if you had access to the piano and 
> action frame. So who does? I'd ask the sender-o-the keys (who demonstrably 
> does have access, or at least has had) to measure from the bottom front of 
> the center rail pin to the front of the fall board with everything in 
> place for a reality check before proceeding.
>
> Belt *and* suspenders,
> Ron N
>