[CAUT] Steinway stack height

[Jon Page]

 From the book, "Steinway Regulation" by F. R. Deitz

Point of hammer center        Model     S -B       C-D
from underside of string                     4.6 cm    4.9 cm

Point of rep. center                              11 cm  11.3 cm

Blow                                                    47 mm    47 mm

Dip                                                      9.5 mm   10 mm

underside of keytop
from keybed                                        63 mm     65 mm


I've been using this 6.4 cm hammer/rep center elevation
difference to bring troubled actions back around.

Last month, a 1992 S&S L needed to have the whole stack elevated
because the string height in the tenor was 7 5/8" curving up to 7 11/16
and back down to 7 5/8 and 7 9/16 on top.  Hammer bore was extra
short. Even with raising the stack (5 11/16 to 5 3/4), the shanks are way
above the rest felts to get proper blow distance.  I even had to move the
stack back 1/8" in the bass and 1/16" in the treble.  It plays acceptably now.

Ave. DW was 60 with 45 BW.    Now:   ave. DW 50, BW  37
With hammer filing and tapering each dropped ~1g.

I was asked to tune this piano when it was new (1st and 2nd free tunings).
After the first tuning I declined follow-up service. Dead-dead sound, played
like a steam roller.  I finally agreed after the warranty ran out, so 
I could fix
it without getting stuck in a pissing contest.

The 'store tuner' (company guy) never pointed out the gross oversights
and the customer figured all new S&S's played like this.  An eye-opening
experience for him.

I had a chuckle this weekend, Steinerts (Boston S&S Dealer) is advertising
on the radio "If it doesn't have genuine Steinway parts, it's not a Steinway".
-- 

Regards,

Jon Page