Zimmerman Grand

[Mike Bratcher]

The "one" I have tuned, was very wide at the back.  Although the overall 
length was very short.  Less than 5 feet.  Closer to 4.5.  The shift lever 
was odd too. From what I remember they routed a diagonal channel in the 
keybed, about a foot and a half long.

Mike Bratcher
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard Brekne" <Richard.Brekne@grieg.uib.no>
To: "Newtonburg" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, April 01, 2005 3:10 AM
Subject: Zimmerman Grand


> Ah yes the Zimmerman.
>
> Now HERE is a piano I would just love to hear the re-scalers / 
> re-designers comments on.  These have to be the deadest sounding 
> instruments I've ever run into. And not just the bass either.  The only 
> success I can relate in improving these at all from a field tech 
> perspective was aggressive string leveling and mating, along with as good 
> a regulation as the things allow for.
>
> Not a great action by anymeans. Along with the Forster instruments the 
> action flanges always showed signs of some kind of a chemical being used 
> on the bushings, which inevitably lead to sluggish action. The uprights on 
> both used plastic flanges so you couldnt really use the water/alcohol 
> trick. Repinning was the only cure.
>
> Eastern Germany piano, still made I believe and there are a few clones 
> I've heard of with similar sound characteristics. They actually held 
> tuning well enough, tho they were plagued with lots of false beats of 
> various sorts which took on a particular acoustical flavour when the 
> overall deadish sound was mixed in.  Not my favorite piano by any means... 
> but reasonably popular with the buying public.
>
> Cheers
> RicB
>
>
> Terry writes:
>
> I tuned a 1980 Zimmerman microgrand today - my first one.  Kind of a =
> dead less-than-stellar piano.  Is Zimmerman kinda like the Kimball of =
> Germany?
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
>