1999 Steinway L with heavy action

[David Love]

This doesn't really change my suggestions.  The friction is a bit uneven,
but the leverage seems to high and a move of the knuckle or capstan would
seem in order to me. 

David Love
davidlovepianos@earthlink.net


----- Original Message ----- 
From: Mark Davidson 
To: pianotech@ptg.org
Sent: 6/1/2003 3:19:37 PM 
Subject: Re: 1999 Steinway L with heavy action


Below are all the numbers I currently have for this piano.  
I will check out everyone's suggestions when
I get a chance.  Thanks for your input.

-Mark Davidson

gory details:

   DW, UW, FRICT,BW,   FW,   SW
   59, 33, 13,   46,   27.3
   62, 30, 16,   46,   33.8
   58, 35, 11.5, 46.5, 35.3
C1 56, 36, 10,   46,   36.1, 10.9
   55, 31, 12,   43,   33.6, 11.2
   54, 37,  8.5, 45.5, 34.7
   54, 30, 12,   42,   34
   52, 34,  9,   43,   36.6
   55, 35, 10,   45,   36.2
   59, 36, 11.5, 47.5, 28
   55, 35, 10,   45,   30.9
   55, 32, 11.5, 43.5, 33.7
   58, 36, 11,   47,   32.3
   53, 28, 12.5, 40.5, 34.2
   54, 35,  9.5, 44.5, 33.5
C2 60, 30, 15,   45,   34.5, 11.0
   52, 30, 11,   41,   34.6, 11.0
   52, 28, 12,   40,   36.1
   60, 23, 18.5, 41.5, 33.8
   53, 29, 12,   41,   37.9
   55, 32, 11.5, 43.5, 33.5
   54, 25, 14.5, 39.5, 33.9
   57, 32, 12.5, 44.5, 32
   53, 28, 12.5, 40.5, 33
   56, 33, 11.5, 44.5, 34.2
   60, 24, 18,   42,   32.2
   58, 34, 12,   46,   28.3
C3 59, 29, 15,   44,   29.4, 10.2
   55, 34, 10.5, 44.5, 25.6, 10.4
   58, 29, 14.5, 43.5, 27.9
   54, 30, 12,   42,   26.7
   56, 31, 12.5, 43.5, 24.5
   58, 36, 11,   47,   22.5
   60, 30, 15,   45,   23.9
   51, 37,  7,   44,   23.2
   55, 31, 12,   43,   24.5
   51, 34,  8.5, 42.5, 27.3
   51, 28, 11.5, 39.5, 26
   50, 32,  9,   41,   26.2
C4 51, 31, 10,   41,   31.1,  10.5
   57, 26, 15.5, 41.5, 27.6,  10.4
   50, 32,  9,   41,   31.2
   51, 25, 13,   38,   31.2
   50, 27, 11.5, 38.5, 32.2
   53, 27, 13,   40,   29.3
   51, 28, 11.5, 39.5, 27.6
   51, 33,  9,   42,   24.8
   51, 33,  9,   42,   25.1
   52, 34,  9,   43,   25.2
   49, 30,  9.5, 39.5, 24.9
   47, 30,  8.5, 38.5, 28.7
C5 48, 36,  6,   42,   26.1,  9.9
   55, 23, 16,   39,   27.5,  9.8
   48, 30,  9,   39,   25.2
   51, 29, 11,   40,   24.2
   51, 27, 12,   39,   27.3
   47, 34,  6.5, 40.5, 23.9
   51, 32,  9.5, 41.5, 20.2
   49, 32,  8.5, 40.5, 24
   54, 31, 11.5, 42.5, 23.9
   49, 32,  8.5, 40.5, 26.1
   49, 24, 12.5, 36.5, 24.8
   53, 29, 12,   41,   24.7
C6 46, 30,  8,   38,   23.7,  9.0
   59, 25, 17,   42,   20,    8.8
   51, 33,  9,   42,   18.8
   52, 33,  9.5, 42.5, 15.2
   56, 36, 10,   46,   17.5
   53, 33, 10,   43,   17.6
   53, 34,  9.5, 43.5, 16.9
   58, 31, 13.5, 44.5, 17.1
   53, 36,  8.5, 44.5, 11
   52, 34,  9,   43,   16.8
   49, 31,  9,   40,   15.7
   55, 29, 13,   42,   16.4
C7 50, 36,  7,   43,   12.4,  7.7
   54, 30, 12,   42,   11.1,  7.6
   47, 34,  6.5, 40.5, 13.9
   51, 32,  9.5, 41.5, 11.4
   49, 35,  7,   42,    9.9
   50, 37,  6.5, 43.5,  7.6
   54, 37,  8.5, 45.5,  6.7
   50, 37,  6.5, 43.5,  7.7
   52, 33,  9.5, 42.5,  6.1
   49, 37,  6,   43,    6.4
   50, 33,  8.5, 41.5,  6.6
   50, 35,  7.5, 42.5,  6.3
C8 47, 33,  7,   40,    6.5,  6.0  
----- Original Message ----- 
From: David Love 
To: pianotech@ptg.org ; Mark Davidson 
Sent: Sunday, June 01, 2003 10:00 AM
Subject: RE: 1999 Steinway L with heavy action


It appears that the SBR (leverage) is a bit high in this piano.  You need
to provide a bit more information but it seems to average approximately
6.2.  My guess is that the knuckle position is 16mm and it should be 17 mm.
That would lower the ratio to approximately 5.8 (average) and would be
sufficient to lift the existing hammer weight without excessive front
weighting.  Depending on the situation I would consider moving the knuckle.
Since you didn't provide upweight and downweight information, I don't know
what the friction component is.  But moving from a 16 - 17mm knuckle will
also lower the friction a bit.  You might also check the capstan line. 
Measure the key ratio in the bass as well as the treble to see if the key
ratio changes through the piano.  Another possibility is to move the
capstan line forward in order to achieve a uniform key ratio and reduce the
leverage to the necessary level at the same time.  I wouldn't take any
weight off the hammers, they are not that heavy to begin with.  

David Love
davidlovepianos@earthlink.net


----- Original Message ----- 
From: Mark Davidson 
To: pianotech@ptg.org
Sent: 6/1/2003 6:10:44 AM 
Subject: 1999 Steinway L with heavy action


I have a 1999 Steinway L with rather heavy action I am looking to correct.

Friction has been taken care of (was originally 20-30 grams - now 10-15).

Action has been fully regulated which also improved it considerably.

Here are some numbers:

Balance weight ranges from 38-51g, average about 44.
Strike weights are medium in the bass crossing over to heavy in the tenor.

note   BW    FW    SW
C1     46    36    10.9
C2     45    34    11
C3     44    29    10.3
C4     41    32    10.5
C5     42    26     9.8
C6     38    24     9
C7     43    12     7.6
C8     40     7     6

So I am considering the following:

1. relead keys to bring balance weight to 38g

2. (1) plus move lead closer to balance rail to prevent slower repetition

3. lighten hammers from tenor up (remove felt? drill mouldings? maybe some
of each - could use filing anyway)
   (piano is in a 10X13 room with hardwood floors so a smaller sound would
not be an issue)

4. turbo wippen (either leave leads alone or remove some to make unsprung
BW around 50 - how much are these things $$).

5. some combination of above

Recommendations?

-Mark Davidson