<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1400" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY id=role_body style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #000000; = FONT-FAMILY: Verdana" bottomMargin=7 bgColor=#ffffff leftMargin=7 topMargin=7 = rightMargin=7> <DIV>Where are the photos and who are you?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>But more to the point, you ask whether Erard was stubborn in = adopting modern technology.</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV>The answer is yes, that is true. History suggest he did not = adopt many things at all - rather he invented them and set the standard! The double-escapement grand action was introduced by Sebastien = Erard in 1821. Check out the following link and review all the patented = systems he invented: <A href="http://www.uk-piano.org/history/erard.html">http://www.uk-piano.o= rg/history/erard.html</A></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV>But is does seem odd to me that you would find such a weird action = in a 20th Century Erard - but then I've never serviced an Erard. I most = certainly don't know a thing about regulating the action you describe.</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV>Let us know what you find out about it. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Pictures? </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Terry Farrell</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT id=role_document color=#000000>I worked on an Erard = from 1917 yesterday.  I was surprised to learn that it was only from 1917, = because the action was somewhat alien to me.  Definitely not a modern = action.  Isn't it true that Erard was stubborn in adopting modern = technology?  The "backchecks" are little tongues that stick through the repetition = levers.  The hammers are shaped like an upright's.</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Though I did not have time to remove the mechanism--given that it = needed a 100 cent + pitch raise(new strings, no problem), I was a = bit short on time--I could tell it needed work.  Everything seemed either in = good original condition, or replaced, but it needs regulation in a big = way.  It plays like a tank, and has a few problems.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Anyone worked on one or more of these beasts?  I'm sure Ric, = Andre, and our other European brothers have seen more of these than they'd = care to remember...How it works seem pretty self-explanatory, but any tips = would be appreciated.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Here are a couple of = photos</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></BODY></HTML>