Turbo whipping....oooh I like the sound of that!

[A440A@aol.com]

Mark writes:
<< BTW, this is perhaps a "text-book" perfect example of what these wippens 
are

intended for.  The piano is a 1963 "B", definitive of the "accelerated

action" paradigm of the day.  ie: well into the tenor there are (typically)

"SIX" factory installed, full-sized leads in each key, with the furthest

being placed very close to the balance rail. >>

Greetings, 
     Gee, this seems to disparage the accelerated action, which I feel is 
unfair.  The trashed actions of the 60's were bad,  but it was not due to the 
acceleration. 
     The original accelerated patent covered two requirements; the use of the 
half-round fulcrum and the placement of lead as close to the balance rail as 
possible.  The nicest ones I have seen were in the late 30's, where geometry 
was right on target.  
  Beginning in the 60's with outsourced keybeds and keys, the entire action 
consistancy of the Steinways went out the window.  This was the most erratic 
period of action building I have seen from the factory.  The 70's and early 
80's weren't much of an improvement, but for the last 20 years, the New York 
actions have been steadily improving in their layout.  I do notice some 
shortcomings in the execution, though.  
    The turbo whips allow the balance between inertia and mass to be moved 
around.  After a complete analysis of the action yields some optimum 
regulation, you can use either less lead with more spring or vice versa.   
There is an optimum point for this relationship all actions and I think the 
springs help nail it down.  
     Same for the Teflon action spring screws.  They out perform the 
traditional graphited grub on all counts. No maintenance needs,  ease of fine 
regulation changes, and the most wonderful of all,  the longevity of the 
spring adjustment. I have actions that are still where I put them two years 
ago.  This allows a softer spring, since the need for margin of error 
shrinks.  But I digress. 
Regards, 
Ed Foote RPT