[pianotech] Adding weight to Wurly Console action/keys

[David Boyce]

Wow, those are very interesting concepts.  I know I am preaching to the 
choir here, but would that modern manufacturers would be as experimental 
as western makers of a century ago.

I assessed an 1890s Collard & Collard parallel strung upright for a 
retired couple today, and was struck by the sheer elegance of some of 
the shapes, in particular the bass bridge apron, and the balance 
hammer.  It was a bridle tape action, not a spring & loop, but with very 
long jacks.  I'd have liked to take some photos, but didn't care to 
presume, when it wasn't a regular customer and I was only appraising.  
They may or may not decide to go ahead with tuning and the little 
repairs it needs.

The idea of adding mass as a means to improve response is intriguing.

Best regards,

David
www.davidboyce.co.uk

> It has long puzzled me why we laud the grand
> action because its return is gravity driven and then we work to take as much
> mass as possible out of the upright wippen. And hammerbutt, for that. Adding
> mass to the wippen body does improve the touch and feel of the vertical
> action. The wippen better tracks the motion of the key--indeed, as Dean
> wrote, the whole function of the action is improved. And it doesn't take
> much. It also helps, if there is room, to add a bit of mass to the catcher.
> And, of course, back off on the hammerbutt return springs.
>
> If you really want to get fancy go one step further and add some mass to the
> damper heads and back off on those springs as well.
>
> ddf

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