Steinway heavy touch

[Avery Todd]

At 11:28 AM 06/15/03 -0500, you wrote:
>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.

He is SO wrong. I HATE that attitude. All I have to ask is if his
fingers are THAT strong, what happens to his "artistry" when he runs
into a piano that's correct??????????? He should be raising hell about
all the pianos that are wrong! (Flame suit on!)

Avery


>-----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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