key levelling -- crown?

[Phillip L Ford]

hu, 15 Nov 2001 23:42:34  
 Delwin D Fandrich wrote:
>
>I think you overestimate the structural integrity of the average keybed. Not
>all of them are constructed of solid wood planks tenoned into slots cut in
>the endblocks, the whole thing left to float freely so that warping and
>distorting with changes in humidity is held to a minimum. You are probably
>so used to working on only traditional instruments you are unaware of what
>is being put into pianos by some unscrupulous pianomakers. Some keybed are
>actually being constructed of thin sheets of wood laminated and bonded
>together with some kind of adhesive that is so resistant to moisture that it
>makes the whole assembly a homogenous mass that is so solid and stable they
>are completely impervious to changes in humidity. It is these later types
>that must be watched with particular care. They have only been used for 50
>or 60 years and regardless of the environment they are exposed to they tend
>to do absolutely nothing except sit there and support the action and
>keyframe.
>

>Regards,
>Del
>
Del,
I thought it was common knowledge that laminated keybeds
are inferior to solid keybeds (especially if they're spruce).
Aren't we all familiar with the infamous lamotone (or was
that lame-o-tone) spinets of the fifties with their
laminated keybeds and we all know how horrible those
sounded.  I would say this is undeniable proof that
laminated keybeds are inferior to solid and we don't
need to consider this any further.

Phil