S&S D with high strings/low action stack

[Ric Brekne]

Hi Andrew

One trick you can use to get more out of your drop screws is to replace 
the drop screw leather on the whippens with something thinner.  You have 
to be careful with this kind of an alteration tho. You cant go with too 
thin a stuff because it will start making noise whent he screw hits the 
cushion.  Most often tho... the existing leather is quite thick, and you 
can replace with 1.2 mm cashmir.  Use only a very slight dab of glue... 
and chose a glue that doesnt wick into the felt easily.

This said...  I'm getting the sense that your origional suspisions are 
probably close to the truth.. the stack is perhaps just too low for the 
existing string height. 

John D touches on the subject of varying string height... something a 
lot of techs and manufactures seems to gloss over when gluing on the 
hammers.  Curiously... Petrof makes a big point of this if you ask 
them.  Plate height and configuration does vary from piano to piano... 
even within the same factory.  If you really want to get as consitant a 
regulation as you can and keep the rake consistant... you simply have to 
let your bore length be goverened by string height.  This isnt directly 
related to your particular problem I know... but I'd thought I'd touch 
on it here.

As for your comments about the school... grin... I think I understand 
now.  Good luck.  On the other hand.... your situation DOES present you 
with <<opportunity>>.  You can wow them !  Go carefully and methodically 
forward and you will no doubt succeed. These things can serve as nice 
stepping stones for a career. 

As for Steinway, the dealer, and their marketing department..... Gawd... 
I hope this isnt whats going on over there with S&S. Because if it truly 
does represent even close to the rule instead of the isolated 
exception.... it spells an assured eventual doom for the company. And 
that would be very sad indeed.

Cheers
RicB



Ric,
Yeah, the hammers are well above the felt, I went for the standard
0.390 key-dip as there was adequate after-touch.  Regulation is much
improved now with the exception of a rather deep drop setting.  Drop
screws were pretty much maxed out before I started on them.  A couple
were broken so I guess the dealer tech. was up against it too.

As to history, I could try pumping the former Dean of the school for
more info, he's a guitar guy and hard to catch.  As for the school,
try deep Texas on the border where you have to know someone to do
anything.  As for Steinway NY, it was a cost cutting move, leave
finishing the pianos to the dealers (don't reduce the price) and the
fabled marketing department pitched it as a piano locally customized
for you!  Which means the Monday morning after... pianos slip out the
door and get shipped to unsuspecting dealers who hope and pray for
unsuspecting customers.

Andrew Anderson