Front Weight Ceilings

[David Love]

I can't speak for Stanwood, but my experience is that I usually aim to set
the front weights lower than the maximum by 10-20%.  Lower than that and I
find I have to start adding to much weight to the back of the keys in the
upper section of the piano.  Also, though there is much talk about the
negative effect of inertia, you must have some inertia in order to get
adequate tactile feedback--though it seems that you can compensate for very
low inertia with higher balance weight.  I try to choose key ratios, knuckle
radii and strike weights that allow for both the front weight targets
mentioned above and for regulation within normal parameters (dip, blow,
convergence lines).  I will allow the front weights to approach maximums if
necessary to accommodate parts choices.   There is a difference in feel
between a 36 BW with maximum FW's and a 36 BW with 20% of maximum FW's.  I
would not say that the one with maximum FW's is objectionable, it just has a
bit more inertia which you can feel.  Some people might even prefer it that
way.

David Love

----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard Brekne" <rbrekne@broadpark.no>
To: "PTG" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: September 30, 2001 2:19 PM
Subject: Front Weight Ceilings


> Hey all you Stanwood enthusiasts out there... I have been wondering a
> bit about the Front weight ceiling table included in the Stanwood kit
> available from Protech.
>
> Do you  think that these Front weights are generally higher then you end
> up setting your Front Weights to, and if so why is that so in your
> opinion. And / or would you agree that they are acceptable maximums
> yeilding a workable situation for other component weight factors  in
> just about any action situation ?
>
> Thanks for any comments.
>
>
> --
> Richard Brekne
> RPT, N.P.T.F.
> Bergen, Norway
> mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no
>
>