This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment Hi Joe. I first thought the purpose was to add inerty. I'm quite convinced that = some inerty is good for the pianist's control : it smoothes out the = discrepencies in force between the pianist's fingers and greatly = facilitate the legato playing. But then, why put lead exactly above the = balance hole ? Hehe. I think I know why. This action, in fact, has been upgraded. It was at first, I suppose, a = simple action (no repetition), and those actions needed leed at the back = to achieve quick enough key return to rest position. At that time, the = balance holes (and rail) were about 5 cm more to the front (there are = traces of those). Also, in addition to the lead at the back, there was = lead somewhere in the middle to achieve fine tune of downweight. The = piano went back to (I think) the factory (that was common at Pleyel in = those times) to get a new stack with repetition action (and the case = stained in black). At that time, the balance rail was moved back and = new balance holes drilled. Apparently, the guy who did this didn't take = the pain to remove the fine tune leads. On the key on the picture, it = happened that the new balance hole was exactly at the place of the fine = tune lead. So he drilled through the lead. It was probably 24th of = december, in the afternoon, and his wife was maybe waiting at home with = a chestnuts turkey. This explains why the lead at the balance hole : the balance hole was = not there in the beginning. But then, I still don't understand why there is lead at the front and at = the back of the key. Certainly as the lead at the front was under the = side ivory (which is reported as a 1860 original feature) which lead to = think it was there at the beginning. But then, the lead under the ivory = has swollen so much, and the lead at the back, not at all. So for me, for now, it remains a mystery. Best regards. St=E9phane Collin. ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Joe Garrett=20 To: pianotech=20 Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2005 12:41 AM Subject: Re: The Art of French Leading "Does anybody have a clue for what is the theory behind this creative = =3D leading ?" After looking at the picture....I'd say, because the key ration is = essentially 1:1, there was a need to keep the key the key for rising up = on the balance pin. Hence the front/back/center...to add mass to a very = light action & key. That's my supposition.<G> Best Regards, Joe Garrett, R.P.T. Captain, Tool Police Squares R I ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/db/63/0f/bb/attachment.htm ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--
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