Shifting Vertical Keyboards

[Delwin D Fandrich]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Alan Forsyth" <alanforsyth@fortune4.fsnet.co.uk>
To: <files@ptg.org>
Sent: May 28, 2003 5:27 AM
Subject: Triple overstrung upright


> For PIANOTECH List
>
> Does anyone think that this could have just been a prototype or
> experimental version?

Keeping in mind that many "prototypes" end up being prototypes only because
production couldn't get going and/or nobody bought the early production
instruments.


>
> The keyboard and action slide out as a unit, but there is no una corda
> mechanism which is a pity. Many German pianos of this era had this
> feature.

And I wonder why more don't have it today. It's not all that difficult to
design and/or build and shouldn't add all that much to the final cost. What
with some of the European vertical pianos priced upwards of $30K it would
seem that a few dollars could have been spent actually improving their
performance.

Among the exhibits in Sydney several years back I examined a Japanese
vertical with this feature. While it still looked a bit unfinished it did
work reasonably well and couldn't have added all that much to the
production cost.


>
> I have been asked to re-string the beast and am thinking that I will
> have to use 3 separate sheets of paper to rub the bass string patterns.
This is
> really going to bamboozle the string makers.

I shouldn't think they will give it much thought. At least I can't see it
will make their job any more difficult.

Del