[pianotech] Shimming Steinway Action Stack to reach strings

[William Truitt]

I've always advised my customers that a little bit of faith in what the
piano will become is ok, but only a little bit.  You have to like the piano
before you buy it or you shouldn't buy it.  Ask that the improvements be
completed  prior to purchase.  Anything that would be regarded as a tonal
deficit or deficit in touch should be addressed before purchase.  And
certainly prevail upon the wisdom of your piano technician for guidance
towards a wise decision.

 

Will Truitt

 

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Porritt, David
Sent: Monday, March 01, 2010 9:27 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Shimming Steinway Action Stack to reach strings

 

Andrew wrote - {big snip}

 

It also has rather advanced "killer octave, money octave, Steinway tonal
deficit disorder..." you choose your preferred term, at six years of age
now.  It was excessively weak in the treble, something that the professor
doing the selection believes he was told would be addressed prior to
delivery.

 

That, to me, is the biggest problem with piano professors or other pianists
- no matter how good - selecting pianos.  While they know good pianos from
bad ones, and can detect real problems, they don't generally know which
problems are fixable and which are un-fixable structural problems.  The "oh
yes, we'll have our technicians adjust that easily" sounds good but when
it's a send-it-back-for-a-new-belly type problem they frequently don't know
the difference.  Also, they are good a picking out the best (or the least
bad) piano for a recital, they don't know when it would be better to simply
choose to come back at a later date to pick a piano to buy.

 

dave

 

David M. Porritt, RPT

dporritt at smu.edu

 

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