David: Renner shanks, flanges etc. Renner wippens Ronsen Wurzen hammers. I should have mentioned in the last post that all adjustments are done to the action so that nothing has to be done to the piano. When you pull the 7/8 action out and replace it with the piano's native action nothing has to be changed back. dp David M. Porritt, RPT dporritt at smu.edu -----Original Message----- From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of David Ilvedson Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 9:51 PM To: caut at ptg.org Subject: Re: [CAUT] Natural key width What hammers is he using? Renner parts...? David Ilvedson, RPT Pacifica, CA 94044 ----- Original message ---------------------------------------- From: "Porritt, David" <dporritt at mail.smu.edu> To: "College and University Technicians" <caut at ptg.org> Received: 1/29/2008 9:49:32 AM Subject: Re: [CAUT] Natural key width >Fred: >When David Steinbuhler first said that he was going to make an action to >fit any D I suppressed a >smile as I didn't think it could be done. A few weeks later the action >arrived and indeed it can be adapted to fit any D. There are >adjustments for damper timing, keyframe bedding, una corda placement, >everything. It helps that the action was totally of his manufacture. >The hammer flange rail is flat so hammer spacing is easy to do, the pins >that go under the cheek blocks are fully adjustable in all directions. >Key bedding is quite ingenious. I'm very glad now that I didn't say "it >can't be done" because he has clearly done it. The only Steinway >factory part is the sostenuto rod and that only because it was easier to >buy it than to make one. The rest of the action, brass brackets, wooden >rails, key frame etc. are Steinbuhler. >One assumes that any venue that has a D and puts on concerts will have >some arrangement with a technician of some skill. Generally I'd say >that any technician who can keep artists happy with a standard D can >make the adjustments necessary on this action. The venues where this >one has been, have been mostly colleges and the resident technicians had >no obvious problems making it work well. We have a box that David made >for shipping the action that has protected it in transit. >I'm sure there will be further development in the action but the current >product is a very capable one. >dave >David M. Porritt, RPT >dporritt at smu.edu >-----Original Message----- >From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of >Fred Sturm >Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 10:55 AM >To: College and University Technicians >Subject: Re: [CAUT] Natural key width >Hi David, > I'd be a bit worried taking a keyframe/action assembly with me. >First, getting it packed well and having it arrive safe and sound at >the venue at the other end; and then packed well for the return. But >second, you would need to be certain there was a tech at the other end >capable of doing the work needed. And it _could_ be a lot, depending >on a lot of factors. For instance, width of keyblocks (might not >accommodate optimum positioning - S&S keyblocks are custom cut to each >piano in the factory, so width is not standard); alignment of hammers >to strings (capo sections can vary a lot, and agraffes often do as >well); string height; string level (or out of level); unison spacing >in the capo sections (individual strings within the trichord - >especially problematic for una corda voicing). It might work out fine, >but it might turn out to be a nightmare, where a less than fully >competent tech faced a problematic fit. Certainly getting it in >concert ready condition would need a top notch, efficient tech, at >least in many cases. And how can a pianist know whether X tech in a >far away venue is competent in that way? Pretty much a roll of the >dice in many cases, especially off the beaten path. I guess if it >became common enough, a grapevine of techs and pianists would develop. > I suppose going back and forth from 7/8 or 15/16 to full >wouldn't >really be any harder than going from violin to viola, probably an >almost instant adaptation for a decent pianist. It's where I go from a >keyboard where I can fairly consistently reach that 10th around the >edges of the corners of those naturals (without making one of them >sound a little) to one where it is definitely hit or miss that is more >disconcerting. So close and yet so far. Frustrating as all get out. >Regards, >Fred Sturm >University of New Mexico >fssturm at unm.edu
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