Basic Action Design/Performance Question

[jolly roger]

Hi Terry,
              The difference in performance with good Abel hammers and
shanks, correctly tapered and tailed, is like night and day. Then add
correct weight off, and good key fitting, you will then find a nice feeling
piano.   Take it a step further and time the dampers, another improvement.
Roger 


At 08:57 AM 9/24/01 -0400, you wrote:
>Is there inherently any difference between improved versions of grand
>actions? I know that a new Bechstein or Walter action may well play better
>than your average new Samick or Bergman - but isn't a lot of that inferior
>materials, glues, manufacturing, etc.? Take two divergent actions from
>similar sized pianos - a Walter and a Bergman. Now give both actions to the
>Willis & David Snyder shop & David Stanwood. Let them replace any parts they
>want and optimize all they will. Now I realize the Bergman action will still
>seem bad when it is placed into the Bergman cavity - but let's just assume
>that Del Fandrich (or whoever) works all kinds of magic and somehow
>reproduced a Walter-like grand belly within the Bergman frame (ok, ok, just
>stretching it a bit, but this is an action question - use your imagination).
>Now you are putting these two actions into similar pianos. Can they both
>play to a similar potential?
>
>I hope this doesn't sound like too goofy a question. I guess I'm asking
>whether a Young Chang (or whatever generally viewed lower quality action)
>can be made to play as well as any good quality action (neglecting the
>difference in pianos - which I fully realize can dramatically affect the way
>an action performs)?
>
>Does this make any sense? Perhaps I am asking "besides material quality,
>design, manufacturing, etc. (and the piano it is installed in), is there
>anything else (magical?) about an action that makes one superior to another
>one?
>
>I have heard before - "Well, Mrs. Pianobuyer, that piano is not a
>Steenburger, and it will never play like a Steenburger." Is that because the
>seller does not know how to do it? Does not think it is worth the money to
>do it? Or that it can't be done?
>
>Inquiring minds want to know. Thanks for any thoughts.
>
>Terry Farrell
>