Quick action lubrication:

[BobDavis88@AOL.COM]

antares@EURONET.NL writes:

> That's why clp-ing and lubing all centers and all friction causing parts in
>  general is a dangerous matter.....the action turns into a very slippery
>  slide.

So I have always thought, but...

Last week I had the delightful experience of going to the Steinway factory, 
along with the Dean and two pianists from our Conservatory, to select a D and 
two B's. Steinway is leaning lately towards a very low friction action. The 
key bushings and repetition cushions are treated w/McLube 444, and the shank 
flanges are pinned at 1-4 grams resistance. They are aiming for a high 
upweight, claiming pianist preference and good repetition. I had my doubts. 

The pianists had definite feelings about controllability, saying that some 
actions felt more manageable. They seemed to favor ones they perceived as 
"heavy." While they were playing, I went around measuring things to see if 
this was truth or perception. The preference seemed to be related NOT to 
weight or inertia, but to voicing! I believe they experienced the ones with a 
softer hammer surface as being more controllable, through what I describe as 
"tonal resistance." On the darker ones, they had to push just a little harder 
to get a soft tone, which helped with control. As a counter-example, imagine 
trying to get a soft melodious tone on hammers the tops of which are soaked 
with lacquer.

There is more to be argued about on this subject, such as does the lower 
friction cause the spring to be set weaker, slowing its return under the 
jack, etc.

Incidentally, we were the first to use the new selection room at the factory. 
I give it good marks. The room has non-parallel (slanted) walls, and 
acoustical ceilings, although it does have a hard floor. We found it to be 
just the right amount of non-flattering so that we could hear what the pianos 
actually sounded like. For those of you who get to select in this room, the 
pianos don't sound the same everywhere in the room, so we moved the finalists 
to the same spot. 

A previous selection was in a dealer's recital hall, and was so flattering I 
actually had them schlep a piano into a carpeted room so the pianists would 
hear more of the sound they would hear in their studios.

Bob Davis