Addendum to Weighty Problem

[Billbrpt]

In a message dated 98-03-13 01:27:36 EST, you write:

> >This is the forum in which it is proper to be candid.  You are most likely
correct about this, especially if it was a Teflon action.  Any number of times
I have had people ask me to make their action "heavier" so that they can learn
to play on a "heavy" action...
 >Bill Bremmer RPT
 >Madison, Wisconsin>>
 
<< Bill,
  Any reason in particular that you would attribute this specifically to a
Teflon action?  Other than regulation discrepancies and/or soft hammers, my
first thoughts would be action centers with verdigris as a contributing
factor.
  Keith A. McGavern>>
 
Keith,
I'm mainly assuming that this is not a Steinway from the 20's but one from the
"Teflon era".  I have always defended the Teflon bushings saying that there
are many of those pianos out there that are working just fine.  If there is a
problem with the piano, Teflon is not its source unless there is "clicking"
from them.   Although these were dubbed the "Permafree" actions, often  those
action centers were on the tight side which could contribute to a heavy touch
weight.

Having said that, have you ever seen all the lead they put in the keys in
those particular actions?  It is phenomenal!  In recent years there has been a
movement to "get the lead out".  When I have changed the parts of such an
action to cloth bushed parts, I have had to remove most, if not all of the
lead.

I don't know why so much lead was used or needed but it seemed to be the
popular thing then.  A colleague of mine used to call it the "Steinway Power
Glide Action".  It seems very likely that the piano in question could have
been one of those.  With a deep key dip, hammers that were barely trimmed,
big-fat shanks sitting on the pads and minimal aftertouch, this instrument
would have been a real "tank" to play.  Yet being a Steinway, very few would
be willing to mess with it, the dealer or owner would trust very few to work
on it either.  "Just tune it!" he would bark to the poor young technician, "No
one ever said anything was WRONG with it!"  "It's a STEINWAY!"  "You think YOU
know better than STEINWAY how it should be!!??"  "They regulated it at the
FACTORY!!!"

And so time goes on and nothing is ever done.  This is not to say that your
verdigris theory might not be right too, Keith.  Both scenarios would produce
essentially the same condition, an action far heavier than most of these young
students ever play on elsewhere.

Bill Bremmer RPT
Madison, Wisconsin