<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)"> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceName"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceType"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PostalCode"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="State"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PersonName"/>  <style>  </style> </head> <body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple> <div class=Section1> Paul,<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Yes. If the pictures are the same as the ones I remember it was kind of interesting, albeit not too detailed because of smaller sized pictures.  I’d at least like to have them, and I think others might like a peek. The way he engineered it to fit (with adjustments) any D was worth seeing. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Thanks,<o:p></o:p> Jim Busby<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <div> <div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'> <hr size=2 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1> </div> From: caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Paul T Williams Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2008 12:50 PM To: <st1:PersonName w:st="on">College and University Technicians</st1:PersonName> Subject: Re: [CAUT] Natural key width<o:p></o:p> </div> <o:p> </o:p> David and Jim, I have the step by step instructions to install one in a Steinway D.  Would you like me to post it? Paul <o:p></o:p> <table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%'> <tr> <td width="40%" valign=top style='width:40.0%;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> Jim Busby <jim_busby@byu.edu> Sent by: caut-bounces@ptg.org <o:p></o:p> 01/31/2008 01:33 PM <o:p></o:p> <table class=MsoNormalTable border=1 cellpadding=0> <tr> <td valign=top bgcolor=white style='background:white;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> Please respond to <st1:PersonName w:st="on">College and University Technicians</st1:PersonName> <caut@ptg.org><o:p></o:p> </td> </tr> </table> <o:p></o:p> </td> <td width="59%" valign=top style='width:59.0%;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> <table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%'> <tr> <td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> To<o:p></o:p> </td> <td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> <st1:PersonName w:st="on">College and University Technicians</st1:PersonName> <caut@ptg.org> <o:p></o:p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> cc<o:p></o:p> </td> <td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> <o:p> </o:p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> Subject<o:p></o:p> </td> <td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> Re: [CAUT] Natural key width<o:p></o:p> </td> </tr> </table> <o:p> </o:p> <table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellpadding=0> <tr> <td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> <o:p> </o:p> </td> <td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> <o:p> </o:p> </td> </tr> </table> <o:p></o:p> </td> </tr> </table> <tt>David,</tt> <tt>I used to have the "step by step" instructions as to how to fit it to the piano. He said we could share that, if anyone was interested, but I guess I deleted it. These instructions and the pictures that go along with them are enlightening. It might answer some of the questions here.</tt> <tt>Regards,</tt> <tt>Jim Busby</tt> <tt>-----Original Message-----</tt> <tt>From: caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Porritt, David</tt> <tt>Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2008 5:50 AM</tt> <tt>To: Ed Sutton; <st1:PersonName w:st="on">College and University Technicians</st1:PersonName></tt> <tt>Subject: Re: [CAUT] Natural key width</tt> <tt>Well, you could easily spend a day on it.  When Tom Servinsky brought it</tt> <tt>here when it was new, he spent two days.  Since that initial set-up and</tt> <tt>regulation I'd suppose the routine stuff would amount to a day.  David</tt> <tt>Steinbuhler was the one who did the regulation/set-up last summer when</tt> <tt>it went to <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Chicago</st1:place></st1:City> for a piano teacher's convention.  I'm suggest that</tt> <tt>anyone seriously curious about all this write him at</tt> <tt>dskeyboards@tbscc.com and ask.  He continues to develop the action and</tt> <tt>I'm sure he has made a few innovations since he made the action we have.</tt> <tt>He is a serious innovator.  Check out http://www.steinbuhler.com/</tt> <tt>dave</tt> <tt>David M. Porritt, RPT</tt> <st1:PersonName w:st="on"><tt>dporritt@smu.edu</tt></st1:PersonName> <tt>-----Original Message-----</tt> <tt>From: caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Ed</tt> <tt>Sutton</tt> <tt>Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2008 6:18 AM</tt> <tt>To: <st1:PersonName w:st="on">College and University Technicians</st1:PersonName></tt> <tt>Subject: Re: [CAUT] Natural key width</tt> <tt>All told, this amounts to a regulation, or at least regulation touch-up,</tt> <tt>after fitting the action to the piano, including spacing hammers and</tt> <tt>also</tt> <tt>key tails to the damper levers, and sostenuto regulation. Also fitting</tt> <tt>hammers to strings and voicing? How long does it take? How much should a</tt> <tt>technician expect to be paid for doing this? Do they really expect a</tt> <tt>concert</tt> <tt>level regulation: close let off, even dip and aftertouch?</tt> <tt>(I see a potential for a serious disjunction between what a performer</tt> <tt>expects to pay and the work that is expected of the technician.)</tt> <tt>Ed Sutton</tt> <tt>----- Original Message -----</tt> <tt>From: "Porritt, David" <dporritt@mail.smu.edu></tt> <tt>To: <<st1:PersonName w:st="on">ilvey@sbcglobal.net</st1:PersonName>>; "<st1:PersonName w:st="on">College and University Technicians</st1:PersonName>"</tt> <tt><caut@ptg.org></tt> <tt>Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2008 7:01 AM</tt> <tt>Subject: Re: [CAUT] Natural key width</tt> <tt>> David:</tt> <tt>></tt> <tt>> Renner shanks, flanges etc. Renner wippens Ronsen Wurzen hammers.</tt> <tt>></tt> <tt>> I should have mentioned in the last post that all adjustments are done</tt> <tt>> to the action so that nothing has to be done to the piano.  When you</tt> <tt>> pull the 7/8 action out and replace it with the piano's native action</tt> <tt>> nothing has to be changed back.</tt> <tt>></tt> <tt>> dp</tt> <tt>></tt> <tt>> David M. Porritt, RPT</tt> <tt>> <st1:PersonName w:st="on">dporritt@smu.edu</st1:PersonName></tt> <tt>></tt> <tt>> -----Original Message-----</tt> <tt>> From: caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of</tt> <tt>> David Ilvedson</tt> <tt>> Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 9:51 PM</tt> <tt>> To: caut@ptg.org</tt> <tt>> Subject: Re: [CAUT] Natural key width</tt> <tt>></tt> <tt>> What hammers is he using?   Renner parts...?</tt> <tt>></tt> <tt>> David Ilvedson, RPT</tt> <tt>> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Pacifica</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">CA</st1:State>  <st1:PostalCode w:st="on">94044</st1:PostalCode></st1:place></tt> <tt>></tt> <tt>> ----- Original message ----------------------------------------</tt> <tt>> From: "Porritt, David" <dporritt@mail.smu.edu></tt> <tt>> To: "<st1:PersonName w:st="on">College and University Technicians</st1:PersonName>" <caut@ptg.org></tt> <tt>> Received: 1/29/2008 9:49:32 AM</tt> <tt>> Subject: Re: [CAUT] Natural key width</tt> <tt>></tt> <tt>></tt> <tt>>>Fred:</tt> <tt>></tt> <tt>>>When David Steinbuhler first said that he was going to make an action</tt> <tt>> to</tt> <tt>>>fit any D I suppressed a</tt> <tt>>>smile as I didn't think it could be done.  A few weeks later the</tt> <tt>action</tt> <tt>>>arrived and indeed it can be adapted to fit any D.  There are</tt> <tt>>>adjustments for damper timing, keyframe bedding, una corda placement,</tt> <tt>>>everything.  It helps that the action was totally of his manufacture.</tt> <tt>>>The hammer flange rail is flat so hammer spacing is easy to do, the</tt> <tt>> pins</tt> <tt>>>that go under the cheek blocks are fully adjustable in all directions.</tt> <tt>>>Key bedding is quite ingenious.  I'm very glad now that I didn't say</tt> <tt>> "it</tt> <tt>>>can't be done" because he has clearly done it.  The only Steinway</tt> <tt>>>factory part is the sostenuto rod and that only because it was easier</tt> <tt>> to</tt> <tt>>>buy it than to make one.  The rest of the action, brass brackets,</tt> <tt>> wooden</tt> <tt>>>rails, key frame etc. are Steinbuhler.</tt> <tt>></tt> <tt>>>One assumes that any venue that has a D and puts on concerts will have</tt> <tt>>>some arrangement with a technician of some skill.  Generally I'd say</tt> <tt>>>that any technician who can keep artists happy with a standard D can</tt> <tt>>>make the adjustments necessary on this action.  The venues where this</tt> <tt>>>one has been, have been mostly colleges and the resident technicians</tt> <tt>> had</tt> <tt>>>no obvious problems making it work well.  We have a box that David</tt> <tt>made</tt> <tt>>>for shipping the action that has protected it in transit.</tt> <tt>></tt> <tt>>>I'm sure there will be further development in the action but the</tt> <tt>> current</tt> <tt>>>product is a very capable one.</tt> <tt>></tt> <tt>>>dave</tt> <tt>></tt> <tt>>>David M. Porritt, RPT</tt> <tt>>><st1:PersonName w:st="on">dporritt@smu.edu</st1:PersonName></tt> <tt>></tt> <tt>>>-----Original Message-----</tt> <tt>>>From: caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of</tt> <tt>>>Fred Sturm</tt> <tt>>>Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 10:55 AM</tt> <tt>>>To: <st1:PersonName w:st="on">College and University Technicians</st1:PersonName></tt> <tt>>>Subject: Re: [CAUT] Natural key width</tt> <tt>></tt> <tt>>>Hi David,</tt> <tt>>> I'd be a bit worried taking a keyframe/action assembly with me.</tt> <tt>></tt> <tt>>>First, getting it packed well and having it arrive safe and sound at</tt> <tt>>>the venue at the other end; and then packed well for the return. But</tt> <tt>>>second, you would need to be certain there was a tech at the other end</tt> <tt>></tt> <tt>>>capable of doing the work needed. And it _could_ be a lot, depending</tt> <tt>>>on a lot of factors. For instance, width of keyblocks (might not</tt> <tt>>>accommodate optimum positioning - S&S keyblocks are custom cut to each</tt> <tt>></tt> <tt>>>piano in the factory, so width is not standard); alignment of hammers</tt> <tt>>>to strings (capo sections can vary a lot, and agraffes often do as</tt> <tt>>>well); string height; string level (or out of level); unison spacing</tt> <tt>>>in the capo sections (individual strings within the trichord -</tt> <tt>>>especially problematic for una corda voicing). It might work out fine,</tt> <tt>></tt> <tt>>>but it might turn out to be a nightmare, where a less than fully</tt> <tt>>>competent tech faced a problematic fit. Certainly getting it in</tt> <tt>>>concert ready condition would need a top notch, efficient tech, at</tt> <tt>>>least in many cases. And how can a pianist know whether X tech in a</tt> <tt>>>far away venue is competent in that way? Pretty much a roll of the</tt> <tt>>>dice in many cases, especially off the beaten path. I guess if it</tt> <tt>>>became common enough, a grapevine of techs and pianists would develop.</tt> <tt>>> I suppose going back and forth from 7/8 or 15/16 to full</tt> <tt>>>wouldn't</tt> <tt>>>really be any harder than going from violin to viola, probably an</tt> <tt>>>almost instant adaptation for a decent pianist. It's where I go from a</tt> <tt>></tt> <tt>>>keyboard where I can fairly consistently reach that 10th around the</tt> <tt>>>edges of the corners of those naturals (without making one of them</tt> <tt>>>sound a little) to one where it is definitely hit or miss that is more</tt> <tt>></tt> <tt>>>disconcerting. So close and yet so far. Frustrating as all get out.</tt> <tt>>>Regards,</tt> <tt>>>Fred Sturm</tt> <tt>>><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceType w:st="on">University</st1:PlaceType> of <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">New Mexico</st1:PlaceName></st1:place></tt> <tt>>>fssturm@unm.edu</tt> <tt>></tt> <o:p></o:p> </div> </body> </html>