Weird Frontweights

[Richard Brekne]

Delwin D Fandrich wrote:>

> > I seem to remember that for some interval during the last
> > fifteen years, Baldwin was sending its smaller grands out with 100%
> > of their leading set by pattern.
> > -----------------------------------------------------
>
> As they should be. At least in any piano purporting to be of good musical
> quality.
>

hmmm.....not quite sure I buy this...read on.

> This whole idea of 'individually weighing off keys' is one that should have
> died some decades back just as soon as the concept of uniform touch was
> figured out. It was a bad idea when it was conceived and it remains a bad
> idea.
>

First, I would like to have this concept of "uniform touch" as you use it
defined. Seems to me that weighing of individual keys is neccessary to achieve
a truly even set of FW's.

>
> It is a practice of using lead to make up for variations in the
> action--mostly those of irregular friction--so that static downweight is
> uniform. But static downweight is a parameter of complete inconsequence to
> the pianist.

Exactly so.... at least it WAS so... but only if it is done in relation to
static downweight. If done relative to Stannwoods method you would seem to have
an entirely different condition. Exactly matching SW's, WBW,  FW's  with
correct and consistant leverage leave friction as the only element left that
can show variances.... or what ? And if so then said friction problems are easy
to track down and even out also.

>
> The best way to set key leading is to engineer it for a specific action/key
> combination and then use static downweight tests as a troubleshooting guide
> to tell the factory technician where to look for problems. The idea, of
> course, is that the problems should be fixed before the piano is shipped.
>
> Del

The only way a static downweight test can be of value is if said test can give
you information that can indeed be a help in trouble shooting. Unless you know
ahead of time that at least certain key parameters are right on the button,
variances of DW can mean just about anything.  I have difficulty in seeing that
laying out a pattern for leads that should be installed in all specific models
of a particular piano make can achieve this more then roughly.  Are you saying
that such pattern laying will result in an a very even FW curve with no
variances of over 2 or 3 grams ?... Even that would be relatively rough I would
think.

Curious to hear more of what would on the surface of it seem to be the first
anti-Stannwood posting I have read.

--
Richard Brekne
RPT, N.P.T.F.
Bergen, Norway
mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no