<!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 bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I believe it has more to do with = marketing that with performance. If one wanted to make an upright with a una-corda = pedal - one would make just that - I believe it has been done before on an upright. = But obviously that costs more and the reason that most folks buy a vertical = piano is cost savings. Hence the poor-man's una-corda.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>So why bother with a pedal at all? = Because, as we all know in America, all pianos have three pedals - even if two are = connected to the same mechanism and even if the mechanism doesn't really do anything.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I think the soft pedal on an upright = moves the hammers closer to the strings and <EM>potentially allows</EM> the = pianist to play softer more easily. I should think it would work to some degree, = but I also think that it would <EM><STRONG><U>require</U></STRONG></EM> a good = quality, well designed and manufactured upright (not a console) that is in good = playing condition and is well regulated (and I mean friction, et. = al.).</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>However, my observations have been = similar to yours - the soft pedal on a vertical doesn't do much.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Do the keys go down when the soft pedal = is depressed?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Get the hammer blow back to spec = (1-3/4" to 1-7/8"). Check to see that the soft pedal has as much travel as is = possible - sometimes there will be a very thick felt on the bottom board that = limits pedal travel. See that the piano is well regulated - this may be an = opportunity to sell a complete regulation - or have the dealer pay for it (don't hold = your breath). This sounds like a new piano - what model?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Or, tell your client to get a good = quality grand with a genuine una-corda pedal and mechanism.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hope some of this helps.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Terry Farrell</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=Alpha88x@aol.com = href="mailto:Alpha88x@aol.com">Alpha88x@aol.com</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, July 25, 2004 = 4:13 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> soft pedal on new = Kawaii</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT lang=0 = face=Arial size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="10">Greetings, = <BR><BR>          &nbsp= ;   Why wouldn't a soft pedal on a brand new Kawaii studio upright not = make the piano play any softer when depressed?  I checked the distance of = the hammers and the pedal, caused the hammers, sure enough, to get closer = to the strings, but the tone of playing did not get softer as it should; I = mean alomost NO tonal = difference.<BR><BR>         =       So...I adjusted the soft pedal screw, down at the pedal until my <I><U>ear</I></U> was satified as to the softness. Adjusting this made = the hammers distance about 1/2" closer to the strings than it was set at. = Then, when I looked at the hammer rest rail, it was up off it's resting = position on the action bracket. In other words, there was about 1/4" space between = the hammer rest rail's bottom and the felt on the action brackets. When I = measured the resting position distance of the hammers to the strings it was 38mm!!  I know this is too close, but now the pedal causes the = hammers to play = softer....<BR><BR>         &= nbsp;     The girl needed to practice for a college entrance or something, so I = lightly glued small pieces of felt in the space in between the rail and the = action brackets, as a temporary measure,  as to allow the pedal to do = what it is suppose to do, so she could practice. Howevwer, I told them I would investigate the specs and visit as a follow up. What could the true = problem be here? My guess that it has to do with voicing. (38mm and up off the = action bracket, doesn't seem right and scares me.) Thanks for expertise in = advance. = <BR><BR>          &nbsp= ; (By the way, this was a call from the piano dealer, for their first free = tuning and to look art this pedal's problem under warranty.) = <BR><BR>rookie,<BR>Julia Gottchall, <BR>Reading, PA </FONT></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>