A request from Chile

[Fernando Rosas]

David:

Thanks for your answer. I'll tell you how did I get up to this instance. I
started this story in 1999. I received the piano (Yamaha C1) in january
2000, after a 6 months wait. I couldn't play the piano before, since Yamaha
has not this model in stock. When I first played it, I found its action
heavy. I asked in this list and received a lot of advise. With all this
knowledgement I contacted an authorized Yamaha technician in Panama. He came
to my house in september 2000 and made a lot of friction reduction work.
Actually, he was a very good technician. After that, I recognized a very big
change in the action weight. But not as much as I expected. Now I believe
that the action itself is heavier than actions I like. I've ever liked light
actions, since my hands are small. Furthermore, I'm not a professional
pianist, so I don't want to develop big muscles in my hands.

Last year (2001) I contacted David Stanwood and started to know about his
work. I've received from him the 2 articles you mention, and I studied them
and find that it can be the solution I'm looking for. I like all other
aspects on my piano so I want to solve the only issue that turns me off
about it. I hope that it won't be necessary to make a big transformation,
because I know Yamaha pianos are well constructed. But just the few to make
me feel good playing it. The amount of work must be determined by an expert.
I'm not an expert and we haven't experts here, so I contacted this list in
order to get it. I'm not sure to be able to make the measurements in a good
way. The only thing I know is that I feel that the action is heavy,
regardless why.

I hope you can understand me after this explanation.

Best regards,

Fernando

-----Mensaje original-----
De: owner-pianotech@ptg.org [mailto:owner-pianotech@ptg.org]En nombre de
David Love
Enviado el: Lunes, 07 de Enero de 2002 13:14
Para: pianotech@ptg.org
Asunto: Re: A request from Chile


Before I got involved in shipping an action to the states or paying for a
technician to come all that way, I think you should really try to determine
what the specific problem (complaint) is and what you expect to accomplish
by Stanwood's method.  Yamaha's are generally fairly well designed, in my
experience, and though they might need some refining, usually the hammer
weight/leverage relationships are fairly good.  Smoothing out existing
strike weights in order to get a more uniform leading pattern is not
difficult if the set up is okay to begin with.  Even shipping just the keys
in order to have someone move leads around seems like a waste of money.  You
might try and find someone with whom you can consult, be willing to pay them
for their time, take some specific measurements of a number of sample keys
and see if you have a problem that warrants the expense of shipping the
action to the states.  My guess is that wholesale changes are probably not
necessary and that  some refinements may do the job.

I would begin by reading the several PTJ articles that Stanwood has written
(if you can get them).  They are in the issues June 1996 and Feb/March/April
2000.  These will give you a fundamental working knowledge of what Stanwood
is trying to accomplish and some practicum in how to approach action
problems.  You will need to purchase an accurate gram scale and perhaps his
platform for taking measurements (something you should have anyway if you
are going to do action work).  Once you become familiar with the terminology
and measurement methods, I think you will find that the system is not such a
great mystery.  Though I am sure that Stanwood has certain proprietary
procedures, you can get excellent results using ideas and methods that are
currently published.



David Love


----- Original Message -----
From: "Fernando Rosas" <frosas@deloitte.cl>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: January 07, 2002 6:50 AM
Subject: RE: A request from Chile


> Farrell:
>
> The problem is that here we don't have qualified technicians. They are all
> self made technicians and they like (or need) to improvise with pianos.
They
> learn on the run. What I need is a technician who knows exactly what he or
> she is doing. BTW, Yamaha is only a shop here, doesn't have service. So I
> believe that it wouldn't be sufficient shipping the keys only.
Furthermore,
> in such a precise work, with many related components, I would think that
it
> must be applied considering the entire action.
>
> Thanks for your advise.
>
> Fernando
>
> -----Mensaje original-----
> De: owner-pianotech@ptg.org [mailto:owner-pianotech@ptg.org]En nombre de
> Farrell
> Enviado el: Lunes, 07 de Enero de 2002 11:04
> Para: pianotech@ptg.org
> Asunto: Re: A request from Chile
>
>
> Consider also that all geometry changes (if any) and hammer
leading/trimming
> can be done by any competent/qualified tech. The only thing you will need
to
> ship to David or one of his authorized Touchweight installers would be the
> keys for leading (keys would be MUCH easier to ship???).
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Jon Page" <jonpage@mediaone.net>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Monday, January 07, 2002 8:10 AM
> Subject: RE: A request from Chile
>
>
> > Consider the advantages and disadvantages of each venture:
> > Crating the action and shipping may be less than paying a tech's
expenses.
> >
> > Is the action too heavy?  Just what is it about the action which you are
> > dissatisfied?
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Jon Page,   piano technician
> > Harwich Port, Cape Cod, Mass.
> > mailto:jonpage@mediaone.net
> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> > At 08:28 AM 1/7/2002 -0300, you wrote:
> > >Jon:
> > >I have considered that possibility, but when I asked for shipping the
> action
> > >it appears complex and expensive. They consider it as an importation,
so
> > >there are internation taxes involved. Ideas are wellcome.
> > >Key covers are made of plastic, so it doesn't matter. Models from C3
and
> up
> > >have Ivorite, an Ivory-like surface.
> > >Regards,
> > >Fernando
> >
> >
>
>