Odd dimensions of sharps.

[Michael Gamble]

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Yes, Richard, I agree with the sharp business. There are many pianos I
simply cannot get my fingers in between them! Height also plays a major role
in this. As for those older pianos, the Brinsmeads in particular I find
extremely good tonally. Even very old uprights with the una-corda (L) pedal.
The strings are remarkable too - notice the coppery finish on the lower
steel strings - not the covered ones - I have found they respond very well
indeed to pitch raising - even from G#=440 !

Regards

Michael G.(UK)

 

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From: Byeway222@aol.com [mailto:Byeway222@aol.com] 
Sent: 06 October 2005 00:00
To: pianotech@ptg.org
Subject: Re: Odd dimensions of sharps.

 

Hi Michael and List,

 

I had forgotten about those round fronted sharps on Collards  (I think
Brinsmead did them as well).  It's amazing that they went to all the trouble
of cutting the ivory to accommodate them, in fact, tonally most of those
pianos were not worth all the trouble and decent materials which often went
into them.  They all sounded as though they had been strung with loose
knicker elastic.

 

However, the subject of sharps and their size and shape has always
interested me as a pianist as well as a technician.  I have always been
conscious of sharps being comfortable or uncomfortable and I think that
pianists often do not realise that one of the many reasons they don't like
the 'feel' of a piano is, in fact the sharps.  I have a very good and
immediate comparison in a college here, where I have a Steinway B and a
Yamaha S6 in the same room.  All the upper end of the market Yamahas have
rather 'chunky' sharps with quite an exaggerated front bevel. I believe that
they are made from some sort of composite material which resembles wood. The
Steinway still has much neater and thinner sharps which I have now found,
from questioning pianists, they prefer.  Oddly, the smaller and cheaper
Yamahas have plastic sharps with much neater ( and in my opinion) more
comfortable dimensions.  Over the years, my recollections of  different
keyboards often takes me back to a really super Knabe grand.  There are very
few in UK, but this was a stunning piano musically, but it had the most
incredibly 'short' sharps I have ever come accross. You felt as though you
were going to collide with the nameboard at any minute.

 

It would be interesting to hear other opinions on this whole business of
keyboards and their 'feel' as a result of materials and their size and
shaping.  Just as the recently discussed Wurzen front punchings appear to be
part of a general building up of agreeable feel and tone, so, I feel this
business of keyboard materials, design and finish are also a very important
part of the picture.

 

 

 

 


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