<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; "><DIV>There was a time in my professional life where I had a complete break through.</DIV><DIV>It was when I learned that a hammer travel distance gauge is not necessary anymore.</DIV><DIV>At the time, I was working for Yamaha in the Benelux and they had just gotten a brand new concert grand, the handmade CFIII-S.</DIV><DIV>This instrument was used as a demo and it travelled from here to there etc.</DIV><DIV>A couple of times it was loaned to Yamaha France, and every time it came back, I noticed that someone had changed the hammer striking distance.</DIV><DIV>Later I found out from a Japanese Yamaha tech why and how it had been changed and I will tell you about it here.</DIV><DIV>At the concert grand level, regulating the 'final' hammer striking distance is one of the last procedures during regulating.</DIV><DIV>After a hammer change, the hammer striking distance is regulated in a rough and so so way, only to make it workable during the regulation.</DIV><DIV>The final striking distance is the last procedure in regulation and it is in immediate connection with after touch.</DIV><DIV>When a grand regulation has been completed, the hammer striking distance is defined by the amount of after touch.</DIV><DIV>At the Yamaha Academy they teach that a perfect after touch is when one depresses the key, one goes through the motion of let off and drop, the key then rests on the front punching, and if one presses lightly, there should be a slight hammer movement of 0,4 mm.</DIV><DIV>The 0,4 mm is a healthy average movement.</DIV><DIV>It ensures an 'extra' after let off and drop have taken place, so that the jack can easily escape from under the knuckle, and especially during ppp, always a danger zone.</DIV><DIV>The 0,4 mm is a very tiny distance, but it is enough and it also creates a certain 'touch', a certain feeling.</DIV><DIV>It is safe and comfortable. However, because the movement is 'extra', it is also a little bit of a waste. A waste in movement, a waste in time, and thus a waste in energy, but, nevertheless, it is comfortable and, when executed correctly, always gives the technician a maximum of power.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Some pianists demand a smaller after touch or hardly any after touch at all.</DIV><DIV>This is highly dangerous for soft play and it is only possible with a perfect action with maximum anti friction treatment.</DIV><DIV>Some pianists demand a larger after touch, but that's stupid and literally a total waste.</DIV><DIV>They usually don't know what they are talking about.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Of course the after touch is mainly defined by the elasticity and hardness of the front punching but that is an other chapter, and an old story I will not get into again. (for more info go into the pianotech archives)</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>OOR</DIV><BR><DIV><DIV>On 26-jan-2007, at 12:05, <A href="mailto:ed440@mindspring.com">ed440@mindspring.com</A> wrote:</DIV><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Ed Miller-</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">1/8" jack escapement is too much.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>1/16" is plenty.</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Check for lost motion. Excess lost motion is often just enough to steal your aftertouch.</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Use a checking distance gauge as Cy Shuster recommends.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>Bend a coat hanger wire to 5/8" or mount a section of 5/8" dowel on a stick.</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Worn hammers or flat hammer butts may make it impossible to get a good regulation.</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">If you are studying for the RPT exams, you can post questions like this to the ExamPrep list (see members' section of ptg.org)</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Ed Sutton</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">-----Original Message-----</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">From: ed miller <<A href="mailto:edmiller3@hotmail.com">edmiller3@hotmail.com</A>></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Sent: Jan 25, 2007 8:42 PM</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">To: <A href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Subject: aftertouch vs jack escapement</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">I'm regulating a Knabe upright. I’m having a problem juggling acceptable<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">aftertouch vs. an acceptable amount of jack escapement out from under the<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">hammer butt.</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">With blow distance set at 1.75", let-off at 1/8", key dip at 3/8" and<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">checking at 5/8".... aftertouch is about .040". With the dimensions as such<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">the key feels like it plays well. In previous regulations I would have been<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">very happy with this.</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">However, this time I'm regulating according to Bill Spurlock's Vertical<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">regulation pamphlet. In it he talks about aiming to have jack escapement be<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">1/16-1/8" out from under the hammer butt when the key is fully depressed.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">With all of the above dimensions in this Knabe upright the jack doesn't<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">rotate completely out from under the hammer butt.</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Spurlock suggests decreasing the hammer blow distance to allow the jack to<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">escape further. When I do this my aftertouch becomes too great. If rather, I<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">increase the key dip to allow for more jack escapement aftertouch becomes<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">too great again.</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">In order to have the jack escape properly I would have to decrease the<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">hammer blow distance to under 1.5” (I know because I tried it). As I<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">suspected my aftertouch shot up, it was then .100”. If I then decrease key<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">dip, the jack doesn’t rotate far enough.</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Then I tried to make my checking earlier. Even at less then .5” checking the<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">jack doesn’t completely get out of the hammer butts way before it is caught.</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">What do I do????</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Thanks, Ed</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">_________________________________________________________________</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Get Hilary Duff’s homepage with her photos, music, and more.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><A href="http://celebrities.live.com">http://celebrities.live.com</A>&ocid=T001MSN30A0701</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV> </BLOCKQUOTE><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV> </BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR><DIV> <SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><DIV style="font-family: Helvetica; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; ">friendly greetings</SPAN></DIV><DIV style="font-family: Helvetica; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; ">from</SPAN></DIV><DIV style="font-family: Helvetica; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; ">André Oorebeek</SPAN></DIV><DIV style="font-family: Helvetica; "><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV style="font-family: Helvetica; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; ">Antoni van leeuwenhoekweg 15</SPAN></DIV><DIV style="font-family: Helvetica; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; ">1401 VW Bussum</SPAN></DIV><DIV style="font-family: Helvetica; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; ">the Netherlands</SPAN></DIV><DIV style="font-family: Helvetica; "><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV style="font-family: Helvetica; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; ">tel : 0031 35 6975840</SPAN></DIV><DIV style="font-family: Helvetica; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; ">tel : 0031 652388 008</SPAN></DIV><DIV style="font-family: Helvetica; "><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV style="font-family: Helvetica; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; "><A href="mailto:concertpianoservice@planet.nl">concertpianoservice@planet.nl</A></SPAN></DIV><DIV style="font-family: Helvetica; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; ">www.concertpianoservice.nl</SPAN></DIV><DIV style="font-family: Helvetica; "><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV style="font-family: Helvetica; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; ">where music is, </SPAN></DIV><DIV style="font-family: Helvetica; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; ">no harm can be</SPAN></DIV><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN> </DIV><BR></BODY></HTML>