sharp key height

[Delwin D Fandrich]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Newton Hunt" <nhunt@optonline.net>
To: <caut@ptg.org>
Sent: October 25, 2001 4:39 PM
Subject: Re: sharp key height


> >  Sharps when fully depressed
> > should not only take the action through let off and aftertouch but
> > should stand at .075 above the naturals.  Will that work?
>
> The reason 12 mm is the standard is because 10 mm is the standard dip.
> This is true for most pianos except those that have geometry problems or
> improperly bored hammers.
>

Or the several hundreds of thousands of pianos whose actions were set up for
a key travel of 0.375" (or 9.5 mm).

That was back before piano makers discovered the granite quarry and decided
to make their hammers a bit more dense (i.e., heavy) than anything they
could achieve with wool felt and then discovered they needed the additional
leverage (i.e., mechanical advantage) to make it possible for the average
human to still depress the keys.

Del