[pianotech] Retrofitting a Steinway w/adjustable back action

[David Love]

On the surface the spoon system seems like a nice idea.  I mean, is having a
micro adjust system for key lift any different from micro-balancing strike
weights and balance weights to the .1 grams or making a new long bridge so
that you can get a perfect logarithmic scale through each section of the
entire piano.  In terms of actual perception many of these things are
probably less important than we make them but it's nice to know that a
system which approaches a higher level of perfection is available and I
certainly wouldn't fault anyone for aiming in that direction.  Of course, if
the spoon and capstan system as pictured doesn't really fit I can't see any
reason to pursue it.  We do, after all, need to draw the line of
practicality somewhere.  

David Love
www.davidlovepianos.com

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Ron Nossaman
Sent: Monday, June 29, 2009 7:50 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Retrofitting a Steinway w/adjustable back action

Delwin D Fandrich wrote:
> | How does this work, geometrically? I'd really appreciate 
> | other options, as they fit with physical reality. Please give.
> | Ron N
> 
> It doesn't.


So... Then what might be the point of spoons on damper under 
levers? As a manufacturing expedient, in a piano designed for 
them, I can see where it gives a quick final touch up of key 
damper lift timing without disturbing alignment or pedal lift 
timing. That could be a potentially good thing (depending on 
how sloppy the rest of the regulation process was), but is 
that important enough to anyone to go to the trouble of making 
them fit in the available space in a retrofit? It seems to be 
a tad wide of my priorities, but do any of you out there find 
a tenth of a millimeter or less difference in key damper lift 
timing worth spending time and angst on? If so, why? I 
understand the pedal thing, so please don't go into lengthly 
explanations on the question I didn't ask. I'm asking about 
key lift.

I know I probably don't really want to hear the answers, but 
the last several weeks of list traffic has numbed any illusion 
of survival instincts and judgment I might have otherwise 
entertained. So please, anyone, enlighten me.

Ron N