Steen Nielsen piano

[larudee@pacbell.net]

Anyone heard of a Steen Nielsen piano?  The one I just worked on is a
bizarre little thing.  Five octave compass, all monochords, but a true
grand.  I guess you would have to call it a zygote grand, because it's
about a meter in length.  The action is the most unusual part.  Looks
almost like it was designed without reference to any other action, past
or present.  The key ends clamp onto a rod and springs underneath the
keys press them against a rail.  Flathead screws on top of the key
adjust the height of the key for leveling and roundhead screws
underneath fit into the springs to adjust spring tension.  Letoff is by
means of a jack fastened upside down on the underside of the key itself
and the jack head, covered with leather, pushes against an extension of
the hammer shank beyond the pivot point, which raises the hammer head
itself.

Lots of other odd things about it and I made a lot of digital pictures.
If you're interested I'll put them in an on lline album, although I
don't know when.  It's a fairly recent design, though why anyone went to
such trouble, I don't know.  Got to admit some aspects of it are kind of
ingenious.  Anyone know where I can get more info, especially the best
way to regulate it?

Paul Larudee