Steinway heavy touch

[Richard Strang]

I just have to tell my story about heavy playing pianos. I tune and service
a Yamaha LU-90 owned by a concert pianist who is also a piano teacher here
in Panama. He had me install a total of 3 1/2 lead weights ON EACH KEY to
make it play as heavy as possible. The 1/2 weight is mounted on the end of
the key. He advocates weighting the keys so that he will never run into a
piano thats hard to play. The touch weight is twice that of a Steinway D. He
must have pretty strong fingers by now.

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org]On
Behalf Of Farrell
Sent: Sunday, June 15, 2003 6:51 AM
To: Pianotech
Subject: Re: Steinway heavy touch


Could be hammers, could be improperly leaded keys, could be capstan
position, could be center rail location, could be friction from a variety of
sources, could be something as simple as new hammer rail springs having way
too much tension - or for that matter, damper springs with too much tension.
Or any combination of the aforementioned. Or all of them.

And I believe it is more likely that the prospective customers are simply
looking for a touchweight somewhere near original Stwy spec of 48 to 52
grams and not "the soft touch of an electronic keyboard."

I service a couple old Stwys at a local recital hall - a Large and a Big.
They both play like Mack trucks. I recently asked a performer what she
thought of the way one of them played - she said: "Well, the touch is quite
heavy, but that's OK because I am used to it - I have a Stwy at home!"

Geeeeesh!

Terry Farrell

----- Original Message -----
From: "Isaac OLEG" <oleg-i@wanadoo.fr>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, June 15, 2003 4:19 AM
Subject: RE: Steinway heavy touch


> Roy,
>
> I believe the only reason is that hammers are heavier these days.
> That was the first reason to buy a gram scale a few years ago.
> And indeed when I was a younger tech gram scales where not cheap or
> accessible to piano techs, I have one I have paid ?100 -USD 100 env.
>
> You 'll probably have to thin those hammers.
>
> Best
> Isaac OLEG
>
> Entretien et reparation de pianos.
>
> PianoTech
> 17 rue de Choisy
> 94400 VITRY sur SEINE
> FRANCE
> tel : 033 01 47 18 06 98
> fax : 033 01 47 18 06 90
> cell: 06 60 42 58 77
>
>   -----Message d'origine-----
>   De : pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org]De la
> part de RCzekay@aol.com
>   Envoye : dimanche 15 juin 2003 03:16
>   A : pianotech@ptg.org
>   Objet : Steinway heavy touch
>
>
>   I know that Steinway pianos, both the verticals, and grands have for
years
> been noted for their heavy touches. I have a beautiful 1886 vertical,
> completely restored that plays and sounds great, but every prospective
> customer complains about the heavy touch. Does anyone know of a way to
make
> the touch lighter. I have played the piano for over 60 years, and I myself
> like the touch of a Steinway. But, I guess in this era, everyone wants the
> soft touch of an electronic keyboard.
>
>   Roy Czekay,
>   rczekay@aol.com
>
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