[pianotech] S&S "D" Keys with Attachments on To

[Andrew & Rebeca Anderson]

Steinway NY utilized sugar pine for keyboards some decades ago, a  
short-lived practice that they, thankfully, abandoned.  Believe me,  
artists give lots of negative feedback everytime they play the one here.

So far, I haven't convinced the town that their aging, ailing, D needs  
a total overhaul.

Andrew Anderson

On Feb 13, 2009, at 3:05 PM, William R. Monroe wrote:

> Hi Ric,
>
> Good to see you back.
>
> How would you suggest we quantify this flex coefficient?  The only  
> thing I
> can imagine that would satisfy the quest for exacting numbers is  
> something
> along the lines of what Hoadley does to find break strength.   
> Obviously not
> to that extent, but to accurately measure the flex in a keystick, it  
> would
> seem like we'd have to get abusive on the part.  As with so many  
> things in
> this industry, there is a place for the "touchy-feely" stuff, the  
> Zen of
> key-stiffening if you will.  <G>
>
> Maybe we could simply clamp the front of a suspect keystick to a bench
> (tightly) with about the first inch supported and the rest of the  
> keystick
> extending out over the open floor.  Then, hang a weight (how much  
> could be
> figured by trial and error) from the key end.  Measure height to the  
> floor
> (or rig up a rigid platform to extend under the key so it could be  
> measured
> with a depth gauge/caliper/whatever) prior to weighting and after  
> weighting.
> Keep a spreadsheed of different keysticks lenghts, and deflections  
> and after
> a while one could develop a nice, quantified level of acceptable  
> flex in a
> keystick.
>
> Sounds fun.  Maybe I'll do it.  <G>  Now, where did I put that time
> sheet.........
>
> William R. Monroe
>
>
> One understands the general rational to be sure. Its just that the  
> whole
> thing has never really been even close to quantified in any real sense
> of the word. Then too... I don't really see pianists making any kind  
> of
> a point out of this. If the general, albeit vague, consensus of  
> pianists
> assessment is laid to bear on the subject... then this seems less  
> then a
> necessary procedure.  I dont see it written in stone that the delay
> between key depression and hammer string contact that can be traced to
> key flexure is something pianists do not appreciate.  That said... I
> have a few Yamaha's laying around that have a horrible delay feeling  
> on
> a hard blow... and key flexure has nothing to do with it.
>
> Not to dispute the desirability of stiffer keys on some instruments  
> out
> of hand... I just think it would be valuable to better quantify the
> relationship between key stiffness, action compliance otherwise, and  
> how
> pianists react to various configurations.
>
> Cheers
> RicB
>
>
>    The basis is that they flex too much and you lose power at the  
> upper
>    end. When Steinway went to the accelerated action they removed the
>    lower shoe in order to make room for the bearing.  On a D, in
>    particular, with extra key length that reduction in height adds
>    unwanted flex and it is easily demonstrated as well as felt on hard
>    blows with a delay between key depression and hammer string
>    contact.  Restoring the original height of the key with an  
> elongated
>    top shoe also restores much of the lost stiffness. Keys can be too
>    stiff, I suppose, but it is not likely to happen in this situation.
>
>    David Love
>    www.davidlovepianos.com
>
>
>
>
>
>