Fw: Steinway key humping

[Michael Gamble]

Hello Carl Meyer
Even as I read your comments and approached your conclusions I was saying to
myself "If the keybed is crowned, surely by simply leveling on a good flat
surface the result will be the same as levelling when clamped down to the
S&S keybed"? And then you answered it with just that same observation.
What is your "Key Levelling System" Carl?
Regards
Michael G (UK)
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Carl Meyer" <cmpiano@comcast.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Monday, October 20, 2003 1:57 AM
Subject: Steinway key humping


> I've commented on this before, but some may not have noticed or disagree
> with me.
>
> Since I am the self appointed key leveling guru, I need to reiterate that
I
> believe the idea of the 1/16 hump in the key leveling of S&S has been
> misconstrued.  Setting a hump in the keyboard for the purpose of
> compensating for the  sagging due to the excessive playing of the center
is
> just urban legend.
>
> I recall when I first heard that, I was impressed with that concept.  I
have
> been now convinced that to misadjust to compensate for wear is not a
logical
> engineering decision.
>
> An S&S rep told me that the reason for humping the key leveling is to
> compensate for the fact that they shape the key bed for a level of crown
of
> about 1/16 inch during manufacturing.  The key level then should follow
the
> curvature of the key bed.  This requires the key frame to be clamped by
the
> cheek blocks for the purpose of having better contact due to the curvature
> of the key frame.  I was then told that it was necessary to level (sic)
the
> keys in the piano since that would be the only way it would be accurate.
>
> I still hold to my concept that if you clamp the action (key frame to a
flat
> table) and LEVEL the keys, when you reinstall the action the hump will
> automatically the same as the key bed.  Isn't that what they want?  Any
> additional leveling to what ever shape you want or touch up can be done
> after the action is in the piano.  You may drive yourself to utter
> frustration or terminal if you like.
>
> I know of no other piano manufacturer who purposely makes their key beds
> unleveled. I was even told by another S&S rep that the key bed was
stronger
> because of the (crown).  Can any of you math gurus tell me how much extra
> strength 1/16 crown over 4 feet of a 1 1/2  thick key bed will produce?
>
> Just look at all the consternation this one item has caused.  How many
> e-mails have been written.  Gives all the S&S apologists a reason for
being.
> Argggggggg!!!!!!  Could any other manufacturer  do something like this and
> not been blasted?
>
> By the way, Joe Goss is now selling my key leveling system.
>
> Carl Meyer Ptg assoc
> Santa Clara, Ca.
>
>
>
>
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