Keyboard touch

[Kevin E. Ramsey]

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Hello Bill,

    If I were you I'd listen to what Ed had to say on the subject. How's =
the tone?  If it's pretty mellow talk to the customer about whether they =
would like it brighter. Just getting rid of some of the outside fluff =
will do that for you, and at the same time you could lighten the touch =
perhaps a little, depending on how much you took off. As far as the =
hammer tails go, I wouldn't hesitate to take them off and use a disk =
sander and the Spurlock jig to shape the tails. Again, you're killing =
two birds with one stone. Look at the coveing inside the tail, and see =
if you can improve that, although doing the first two will probably get =
you down into the 50/52 gram range.  Stanwood's procedures really help =
when you're trying to analyze this kind of situation, by the way. If =
you're not familiar with them, you should look into some of the Journal =
articles, at least. And yes, check the damper timing...

Kevin E. Ramsey
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Bill Yick=20
  To: pianotech@ptg.org=20
  Sent: Monday, February 16, 2004 5:24 PM
  Subject: Keyboard touch


  I have a clients' grand action, an old Gulbransen. Someone has put on =
new hammers, and the other parts are in good condition, the ivory =
keyboard is in exceptionally good condition. He has carpel tunnel, and =
is complaining about the "heavy" touch. I played on it, and it is =
heavier than I would like myself. I measured the downweight with gram =
weights, and it averages 55 grams +. I took the job, but need some =
advice. There does not seem to be excess friction in any of the action =
parts. It is my opinion that the hammers are too heavy. They were =
installed several years ago, but look almost new. They have a "fuzzy" =
look, that makes them look as if they are "right out of the box." They =
may not have ever been filed. The tails looks as if they have been =
barely shaped for the back checks, not the long curve that is typical. I =
can see lots of wood that can be taken off. I bought a gram scale so =
that I could maybe achieve some consistency in the wood removal. My =
neig! hbor has a band saw, and I have a disk sander. I think I could do =
the wood removal, measuring the weight as I go. Having never done this =
job before, what advice can you give me?

  Bill Yick, Rpt


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