regulation extremes?

[gordon stelter]

An "ideal" keydip is the one that fits the size of the
pianists' fingers, and still makes the piano work, I
think. I have friends with smalll hands who prefer a
more shallow dip.
     Gordon

--- David Love <davidlovepianos@earthlink.net> wrote:

---------------------------------
The reason S&S gives such variation on the dip is
because the action ratios vary quite a bit from piano
to piano necessitating a varied key dip (or blow) to
produce proper aftertouch.  I think that the dip can
range from 9.5 - 10.5 mm and stay within normal range.
  Blow can range from 42mm to 48 mm.    If you have
excessive aftertouch after you have regulated all
aspects of the action then you can, in your case,
start to increase blow or reduce dip to get the
aftertouch you want.   It sounds like you may have to
split the difference in this job as the action ratio
would appear to be on the high side. David
Lovedavidlovepianos@earthlink.net  ----- Original
Message ----- From: Bob Hull To:
pianotech@ptg.orgSent: 3/17/2003 8:14:54 PM Subject:
regulation extremes?

 

List, 

What would you say are the measurement parameters
within which you should stay when adjusting hammer
blow distance to acheive correct aftertouch?  Also,
what key dip amounts would be too extreme both too
little and too much?

Here is the specific situation I am working on:

I am regulating a Steinway M.  The beginning condition
of the regulation was:

1.  the key dip was inconsistent, some keys were 3/8
and many were a little more, but less than .390;

 2. Hammer line quite uneven; overall seemed to lack
power.

 3. Most of the hammers have drop at 3 - 4 mm. or so;
4. let-off was varied.  Wear on this 20 year old piano
is very minimal.  

So, as prescribed in the Steinway manual, I set key
dip (on samples) to .390 (the manual says .390 to .410
can be used;  I set h. blow dist. to 1 3/4.  Set
let-off to about 3/32. Then, aftertouch seemed to be
too much - .080 or .090 punchings added and still had
let-off.  I decreased drop to 1/16 or 2 mm. Still,
aftertouch too much, seems to me.  (More than .070)  I
checked rep. lever ht. and jack position on these.

To try to decrease the aftertouch I lowered the sample
hammers to 1 13/16 distance and even more, still -
aftertouch too much!  Am I missing something?  A fine
pianist is coming to do a program on this instrument
soon and I want it to be "right". 

How much can the blow distance be increased until it
is beyond the parameters of the intended design and
creating other problems? Particularly for this piano. 
And, was that 3/8 dip too little?  Why was it that way
to begin with?  I'm pretty sure no one else has
changed it since the piano was purchased.  Was the
origianal dip maybe greater in a low-humidity
situation in a New York winter when it was originally
regulated?  Last weeks posts on aftertouch were
appreciated.

Thanks.

Bob



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