<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2604" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY id=role_body style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: = Arial" bottomMargin=7 leftMargin=7 topMargin=7 rightMargin=7><FONT id=rol= e_document face=Arial color=#000000 size=2> <DIV> <DIV> <FONT size=3> HI Roger</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>   Very nicely articulated points. I especiall= y like the idea of let off punchings. Now that's an EXCELLENT Idea. BTW On My Stwy D Rick Wheeler made the key set out of bass wood with big lon= g maple shoes. Bass wood is tiffer than sugar pine & and equally as stable= . He also strengthened the key frame arch & I beleive that pianist = of all abilities can sense the solidity & security that comes from  very low action saturation created by stiff keys,f= rame & Andres punchings. Now that's a good combination.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>    Your idea of  removing old paper= punchings and using thick cards & as little paper as needed is  another value added component of custom rebuilding. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>  So many things add up to a precisely controlled p= iano action.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>   Thanks</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>   Dale</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><= FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000 size= =3><FONT size=3>Hi Ric,<BR>           = For several reasons.<BR><BR>#1.   I think this is probably the most important reason.  The Psychosomatic effect on the pianist. &nbs= p; Well defined after touch gives the advanced player a great sense of security.   They play in a far more relaxed manner knowing that every key will behave in precisely the same manner. The tone they create becomes much sweeter and more controlled in the middle ranges. Comments like:  Is the touch deep or shallow, are invariably connected to afte= r touch and not depth.    ( I am talking about a well regulat= ed concert piano, before some one howls about the actual depth.)<BR>Concert pianos that I look after regularly have had the felt punching ironed so th= ey are consistent. Sharp punching are turned over annually to ensure the key = hits a flat surface..( Sharp punching's groove with heavy playing and should be= turned over each time dip is adjusted)   Good pianist love consistent after touch, I am not so sure that they care about an exact amount.  Now there is a can of worms. How much after touch is deemed = to be correct?<BR><BR>#2   Stephanie, raises a valid point about ke= y frame noise and flex.  This addition of unwanted tone is a serious factor. When rebuilding Steinway's, the superior Oak frames of the 1920's.  gives clear evidence of a quieter and more responsive action.  Resulting in better tone control. PS. I am not a lover of ch= eap soft  wood action frames, for the same reason that Andre does not lik= e mushy punching's.  The soft wood frames absorb too much energy. Lower= ing the action saturation point.   On a well regulated / voiced Yama= ha do this test. Really hit the note adjacent to the centre glide bolt, then = do the same to a note mid point to the next glide bolt.  You will hear a= slight difference in tone, and feel a response difference.<BR><BR>#3 = Key flex. This is related to the action saturation problem.  The more efficiently we can transfer energy from key tip to shank the better the to= ne control. Nothing new here, this is why maple shoes are use on concert pian= os to stiffen the key.   A flexing key will alter the sensation of after touch. On a hard blow it will give the sensation of no after touch.  A Baldwin SD10 will regulate to a much more refined after tou= ch than a Steinway D. Cry all you want about Baldwin pianos. but the key stic= ks are vastly superior. Sugar pine keysticks, with long maple shoes, and good= long maple buttons.<BR><BR>#4  Andre.  I have noticed a differen= ce in tone when removing the big pile of paper/thin card punching's often fou= nd in grands. And replacing them with a few very thick card punching's. Add t= o this, Ironing the felt between brown paper, it makes a big improvement in consistent dip and after touch.<BR><BR>Moral of the above points: &nb= sp; The pianist works with after touch to create tone. Any and all things that= we can do, to make this accurate and reliable, the happier our clients will be.<BR><BR>Andre, you have started me thinking.    OMG that= 's dangerous ;-)   Have you tried let off buttons with Wurzen felt?  Again we find that they are all over the map in quality and density.  When replacing them.  We first iron then with a damp cloth, to shrink them, then dry iron.  It makes a big difference in h= ow the let off and drop regulates.<BR><BR>Warm regards.<BR>Roger<BR></FONT></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>