Bechstein Action

[Dennis Johnson]

        Since I troubled you all with my passing Bechstein frustration a
couple of weeks ago, this is just to report that in the end it all worked
out quite nicely. The piano plays and sounds good so I am pleased.  I
realized that I could afford to trim about 3/32" off the hammer tails
without compromise (I had cut the lengths allowing for a generous 1" tail),
then tapered the mouldings a little more radically, and added an average of
about 2 small damper leads to the front of each key- and bingo! I got 50
down and 24-25 up.  From now on I will not assume that European pianos
always need heavier hammers.


Dennis Johnson
St. Olaf College
johnsond@stolaf.edu