<html> <body> I'm curious. Who's going to pay for that? The dealer? The customer who just bought an "inexpensive" grand? I doubt it! :-) Avery At 09:52 AM 11/8/2006, you wrote: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite=""> Many medium quality pianos can be turned into screaming performers with some modifications: good hammers, good bass strings, and a thorough regulation that includes proper set up of the keys.   Dean   <hr> <div align="center"></div> From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [<a href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org" eudora="autourl"> mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a>] On Behalf Of William Benjamin Sent: Wednesday, November 08, 2006 10:13 AM To: 'Pianotech List' Subject: RE: [BULK] key weight   Alan,   You are right, there is a lot left out there in the world that I have to learn.  I once got into a conversation with a person who kept driving it home that the up weight was probably more important than the down weight.  This was a person an a university that nursed wonderful Steinways all day long.  I am out in the trenches where they tune the piano once every ten years or when a key sticks.  Also I am selling medium quality pianos and I admit that they probably don’t compare with the high brow tuners choice of instruments.  Still, it would be nice to think that with all my effort that some reasonable down weight might be a good beginning point, then I can begin to approach those institutions where they baby grand’s that don’t even get dusty.   William         PIANO BOUTIQUE William Benjamin Piano Tuner Extraordinaire <a href="http://www.pianoboutique.biz">www.pianoboutique.biz</a> The tuner alone, preserves the tone.   <hr> <div align="center"></div> From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [<a href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org" eudora="autourl"> mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a>] On Behalf Of Alan McCoy Sent: Tuesday, November 07, 2006 11:31 PM To: 'Pianotech List' Subject: RE: [BULK] key weight   Hi William,   I think you would do well to read some back issues of the Journal. Specifically some articles by Bill Spurlock for an understanding of traditional touchweight and action weigh-off concepts. Then read the articles by David Stanwood on the New Touchweight Metrology for a more sophisticated approach to thinking about action weight. There are other articles as well. All of the conventions have classes on this topic that will help you come to a better understanding of action analysis. It'll take some digging on your part. Expect to spend a year or so devouring all that has been written and experimenting with actions. If you don't have back issues, you can buy the reprints and the journal on CD.   There are some numbers that manufacturers throw out, but such numbers don't really have much meaning. It is usually downweight that they are talking about in my experience and downweight alone doesn't really shed much useful light on how an action might perform. So from my perspective, I just wouldn't pay attention to the man behind the curtain.   IMHO,   Alan   --Alan McCoy, RPT Inland Northwest Chapter Spokane, WA ahm@webband.com     <dl><hr> <div align="center"></div> <dd>From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [<a href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org" eudora="autourl"> mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a>] On Behalf Of William Benjamin <dd>Sent: Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:37 PM <dd>To: Pianotech List <dd>Subject: [BULK] key weight <dd>Importance: Low <dd>List, <dd>  <dd>I was in a store in Orlando over the weekend and heard a Kawai rep helping with a sale.  This was a sales rep not a tec man.  His comment that raised my attention was that there pianos were at 60 grams touch weight, which is a standard on Steinway, Yamaha and all quality pianos. <dd>  <dd>Now that I have your atention let me tell you that I have gone to NAMM shows before and asked that very question, “what is the standard for touch weight” and no one would give me a strait answer.  I also know that most pianos that I see, good grand’s, are indeed around 60 grams.  <dd>  <dd>Now can anyone give me a strait forward answer?  What is the touch weight that I should be looking for in medium to high quality grand pianos today.  I have heard people brag about 52 grams and such, but I just don’t see it.  I have run a gram weight scale on every key from 1 to 88 on a lot of pianos and on my new pianos I have brought the weight from 68 to 70 down to 62 and 60 on a lot of keys.  After that I have lubed, repinned and removed mass from the hammer heals, but, you guessed it, it never gets much below 60. <dd>  <dd>Any one want to give me some guidance? <dd>  <dd>William <dd>  <dd>  <dd>  <dd>  <dd>  <dd>PIANO BOUTIQUE <dd>William Benjamin <dd>Piano Tuner Extraordinaire <dd><a href="http://www.pianoboutique.biz">www.pianoboutique.biz</a> <dd>The tuner alone, <dd>preserves the tone. <dd>  <dd>  </dl></blockquote></body> </html>