[pianotech] Spinet touch weight - was weighting keys

[Joseph Garrett]

 From the dark side, Ed Sutton said: 
"Going back to the question that began this thread, it's worth remembering
that because of the short key sticks, touchweight increases quickly from the
front to the back of a spinet key. 
 
I don't think a spinet can be made into a practice instrument for sensitive,
musical playing, and if overweighted it may be dangerous since fine pianists
spend a lot of time playing toward the backs of the naturals. 
 
I am aware of one semi-professional pianist who practices on a spinet, and
his approach to playing in performance on grand pianos is loud and fast,
that's all. 
 
Increasing the inertia of the hammers will also transfer the stresses to the
spinet action parts, which may not be parts of the highest order.
 
Try adding weights to the keybacks, and there may not be much keybacks there
to attach the weights to, and the closer the weights to the balance pin, the
more weights you'll need.
 
Thus I suggest letting a spinet be a spinet."
 
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Ed,
I could not disagree more! Your last statement is a real gem.<G>
I've done a lot of experimentation with spinets, in this regard. My
findings are opposite of what you are espousing. A spinet can be made to be
responsive and articulate. Not as well as the revered "Grands", but
certainly as good as a lot of "better" uprights. Perhaps better than some
of the "good" uprights, even! 
It is not an expensive proposition to do this to a spinet. It will provide
a better platform for those budding pianists out there, that,
unfortunately, have to suffer the "bad" spinets.. 
Of course, there are spinets and then there are spinets. We need to
differentiate. I'm talking about those spinets that do not have Elbows and
Wires to get the action going. There are several that come to mind:
Baldwin, Story and Clark, Gulbransen, to name a few. Spinets like Weavers,
are out of the question! Nothing can be done to those abominations, imo. <G>
I've had good success with making quality spinets repeat better and have an
articulate, firm touch w/o making it excessive. If it's done properly,
there should be no concern about causing damage to a pianist's physical
well-being. That's my findings.
Best Regards,
Joe


Joe Garrett, R.P.T.
Captain of the Tool Police
Squares R I