[pianotech] front rail punchings

[Robert Anderson]

In the posts I've read about Crescendo vs. "squishy" punchings, there  
are a couple of points I haven't seen discussed. One is that I assume  
the Crescendo punching will retain its initial compressibility  
characteristic longer than the "squishy" one. That seems to be a good  
thing wrt how long the regulation will last. I know technicians who  
pre-compress front rail punchings (and balance rail punchings, too)   
on a bolt, clamped between two washers in order to start out with a  
more stable punching. I like to start out with thinner punchings for  
the same reason. If the Crescendo is too firm for pianists' comfort or  
too noisy, then something approaching its stability can be achieved  
with more standard punchings like Pianotek's (which I like).
The other thing is that it seems to me that the most critical  
consideration in setting keydip is to make it play reliably at ppp  
level. As David Love pointed out, experienced technicians develop a  
consistency of touch that is independent, I think, of the  
compressibility of the punching. At any rate, that is what I strive  
for. Whatever standard of pressure I choose, I am most concerned with  
how it plays at ppp.

Do you buy that?

Bob Anderson
Tucson, AZ