Hamburg vs American S & S

[stanwood]

>QUESTION: is it true that US Steinways are generally heavier than the German
>Steinways, and what may be the reson?


Dear Avery,

New York Steinways are generally heavier because the key balance point tends
to be slightly closer to the front of the key.  This reduces leverage and
makes the action heavier for a given hammer weight.

Using the new touchweight metrology to determine strike ratio one sees a
definite trend.
Hamburgs tend to be around 5.5 and NY tends to be 6.0 and higher.

Strike Ratios above 6.0 are less tolerant of higher hammer weights.

A NY Steinway with a proper hammer weight will feel just fine.

For those of you not familiar with the term strike ratio, it is the amount
of weight needed to balance one gram of hammer weight.


            David C. Stanwood Stanwood@tiac.net
            West Tisbury, Massachusetts     USA
            On the Island of  Martha's Vineyard
        http://www.tiac.net/users/stanwood/first.htm

"The art in hammer making has ever been to obtain a solid,
 firm foundation, graduating in softness and elasticity toward
 the top surface, which latter has to be silky and elastic in
 order to produce a mild, soft tone for pianissimo playing, but
 with sufficient resistace back of it to permit the hard blow of
 fortissimo playing."                 - Alfred Dolge 1911