>> I know that Steinway pianos, both the verticals, and grands have for
>> years been noted for their heavy touches. I have a beautiful 1886
>> vertical, completely restored that plays and sounds great, but every
>> prospective customer complains about the heavy touch. Does anyone know
>> of a way to make the touch lighter.
Hammer mass is a major factor in the "weight" felt in a grand, more so than
in an upright, since the upright's hammers are not being lifted directly
against gravity. Overly large hammers in an upright can contribute to "weight",
but there are other things to look at. This assumes the friction in in proper
spec.(keybushings, hammer pinning, etc).
The upright has several factors that a grand doesn't. The hammer spring
begins resistance as soon as you touch the key. If the piano has been
completely restored, you may have more spring than you need.
The butt felt in an upright determines the angle of attack of the jack. Even
a little compaction on this felt and you begin suffering from the upward
movement of the jack being vectored into the hammer pinning, and the resistance
comes very quickly. If the old butts are used with new hammers, the combo will
often feel heavy.
The damper springs and how early the dampers lift also can be major
contributors to "heaviness".
And last but not least, if the hammers are too soft, the perception is often
one of heaviness, a bit of juicing up can make a huge difference in how the
piano feels.
Regards,
Ed Foote RPT
www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/
www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html
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