Steinway M problem

[Richard Moody]

For me what it all boils down to is, yes there are tolerances, but
when exceeded, its a no go. (One has to cull, and it can be expensive
esp when dealing with piano plates or cases, or as simple as
selecting hammer shanks or bushing cloth) Of course the range has to
be established, some where between  pursuit of excellence and
schlepping mediocrity.   Glad to hear of action swapping.

Richard Moody
----------
> From: Horace Greeley <hgreeley@leland.Stanford.EDU>
> To: pianotech@byu.edu
> Subject: Re: Steinway M problem
> Date: Thursday, March 27, 1997 7:00 PM
>
>
> Richard,
>
> I am running between things just now, so I do not have time to give
you
> more than admittedly glib and flip response to what I assume is a
serious
> question:
>
> All of the issues which you raise below are, more or less,
depending
> upon the instant circumstance (that is, on a per piano basis),
> "super critical".  However, they are super critical each in concert
> with the other, a free-floating, three dimensional well, four, once
> the action is set in motion) ballet, if you will.
>
> Specifically:
>
> 	1.- The plates can be off all over the place, and not just the
v-bar.
> 	2.- Yes, there is that much variation in casting.
> 	3.- The tolerances are nominal, and have changed somewhat
> 		over the years, as casting methods have changed, with
> 		later (more recent) castings more true to form (that is,
> 		within "tolerance".)
> 	4.- No, they don't know either, which is why so much fore
> 		finishing has been abandoned in favor of jigged
> 		application/installation.
> 	5.- The fact that the capstan line _can_ vary doesn't mean
> 		it should.
> 	6.- The 2:1 ratio _is_ important, but it must be viewed in
> 		context with other issues.  I've seen lots and lots
> 		of "optimized" actions that sound and feel like
> 		garbage.
> 	7.- I am not sure that the movement range of the treble
> 		end was ever quite that great, but it was always
> 		intended as a compromise anyway - to even out
> 		the sound between the first and second treble.
> 	8.- Action swapping is probably more possible now than
> 		in previous times, but I used to change stacks
> 		on several pianos a good deal.
> 	9.- The forefinisher sets the action frame _into_ the walnut
> 		and mahagony ends of the keyframe, so pins are
> 		still superfluous, unless, of course, they have been
> 		removed.
> 	10.- I don't know about Alzheimer's, but it surely does
> 		go well with Filet.
>
> Best.
>
> Horace
>
>
> At 10:39 PM 3/24/97 -0600, you wrote:
> >I guess I don't understand why the action has to be force fitted,
I
> >mean fore-fitted to the key frame, because the capstain line
position
> >will vary from piano to piano due to finding the optimimum
striking
> >point.    The only thing that could be off is the plate and only
in
> >the V bar area.  Do the plates really vary that much?