For Jack Wyatt

[JWyatt1492@AOL.COM]

 Hello James and Clark !

  Albert Staib and George Abendschein formed the
S-A action in 1890.  They  built grand and upright
actions of the ordinary type for the trade. However 
they wanted to improve the upright action to have a 
positive and never failing repetition.  To this end they
hired the famous inventor Snyder.  After two years of
effort he gave up on the project.  Albert and George
however thought he was near achieving his goal.
They undertook the task and did indeed succeed
  They named it the "Mastertouch" action. One 
of its strong points was its elasticity and lightness 
of touch.  There are two such actions one the let-off
adjustment is like standard actions the first action
had a much more complicated let off with the top
part being the alike. Both actions worked equality
well. 
    My opinion of why all  Piano Companies did not
use this superior action was  cost and pride.
     Most of the regular S-A actions had a small 
brown medal name plate on the left end of the 
hammer butt rail on grand actions and on the 
hammer rest rail on upright actions.
   Clark, let me know if you still need a drawing of
the "Hickman".  His action was refereed to by others 
as a " Articulated-jack action".  One big difference 
in this action was that all parts from the key up 
is connected and move as a single unit  except the 
hammer shank and hammer. It has a regular back 
check. In the Turbo-Charge class I give, the S-A
upright action model is always a big hit.

Jack Wyatt