Hi Jonathan Looks like its my turn to attempt to be more clear. A well balanced action in my book is per definition one that of course does not use mass levels that are so high as to cause inertia problems that slow down the actions response to the point that <<playing like a truck>> is any description I could ever apply. That said, mass levels can be higher then some like to think without this being a problem. One has to first remember that it is easy enough to create an action configuration that can exceed any performance demands with regard to speeds. One simply has no need for an action that is capable of playing twice as fast as the human hand can play it. I think Stanwood came up with a pretty decent set of guidlines for maximum front weights... and some of the discussions surrounding Dr. Birketts paper on key inertia a couple years back indicate decent enough levels of inertia that could be intergrated into Stanwoods frontweights. Keeping at or below these levels along with good relationships between action leverage and strike weight levels, coupled with a finely regulated action will always result in a dandy playing instrument IMHO. I'm not a believer in the Light Hammer action proposed by Ed McMorrow. Tho I know Ed and know him to be a good technician that does fine work and agree with him on many other points. I just find that pianists as a whole are a very largely varried group. Some like this, some like the other... no single configuration or style fits all... tho there are averages. Stanwood has collected a vast amount of data on many touch related concerns, and its interesting to see where the <<norms>> fall. I hope Barbara gets a chance to follow up on this action and supply us with some more data. I hesitate to guess much knowing the action has been rebuilt at some time... but if I was to guess I'd say its probably just another case of to heavy a set of hammers installed without regard (or much at any rate) to leverage or counterbalance. I've seen it often enough... and been guilty of it often enough as well. Cheers RicB Jonathan Finger writes: It is not only possible, but common to see actions that are "well balanced" that play like trucks. Regards, Jonathan Finger RPT
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