[pianotech] Strange Keys Continued

[Mike Morvan]

    The molded keys were made by the former Pratt & Read Company of Connecticut. They made most of the keysets for this country prior to everything going overseas or further south. When I got my equipment and training from Frank Stopa, he gave me a box of those molded plastic keys and told me that they were a failed attempt at further reducing the cost of manufacturing keyboards.
    Among the other not so obvious "cost cutting" efforts he spoke of were:
1. switching keystick material from sugarpine to basswood
2. changing capstans to brass plated steel instead of solid brass, (WWII) may have had something to do with that
3. changing keypins to plated steel instead of plated solid brass, (WWII) may have had something to do with that as well
4. changing from protein glues to PVA'S for assembly & bushings
5. eliminating balance hole inserts & shoes
6. reducing the overall height of keys
The list goes on & on.  

BLACKSTONE VALLEY PIANO
Michael A. Morvan
76 Sutton Street
Uxbridge, Ma 01569
(508) 278-9762
www.pianoandorgankeys.com
mike at pianoandorgankeys.com
www.thepianorebuilders.com
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Steven Hopp 
  To: pianotech at ptg.org 
  Sent: Sunday, April 05, 2009 10:07 AM
  Subject: Re: [pianotech] Strange Keys Continued



   A new morning has me wondering, what is the benefit of making keys like this?  The piano plays okay.  The touch is a little heavy which I chalk up to damper lift being set too early.  (maybe gonna try last months Journal article suggestion for bench regulating damper spoons by Linda Marten RPT).  Also, the FR bushings are a little "crunchy" towards the bottom of the key stroke.  But other than that it is fine for what it is.  Just curious?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  From: hoppsmusic at hotmail.com
  To: pianotech at ptg.org
  Date: Sun, 5 Apr 2009 03:02:57 +0000
  Subject: [pianotech] Strange Keys

  Hello,
   
  Tonight I went to the store to work on a piano we are giving to a needy family who have 2 children who play very well.  I was cleaning and removed some keys that were sticking together from some gunk and when I turned them over they looked like this.  I proceeded to check and they are all narrow wood with I'll call it a plastic housing.  Weird.
   
   


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