Stephen...Two Remedies to correct a light action

[Steve Blasyak]

Hey Now,

So tell us Ric... what are the quick easy ways to correct an action
(upright), that is too light.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Steve


> [Original Message]
> From: RicB <ricb at pianostemmer.no>
> To: <pianotech at ptg.org>
> Date: 11/26/2006 3:30:37 PM
> Subject: Stephen...Two Remedies to correct a light action
>
> In both cases, upright and grand, adjusting the dampers to lift at 
> nearly the beginning of key stroke is the wrong way of going about 
> things. This stuff is all interactive   -- interelated.  Dampers are 
> supposed to engage halfway through the key stroke for some very good 
> regulation reasons.  Travel distance comes immediately to mind, along 
> with the regulation of the pedals relative to damper lift. But the list 
> is longer. In an upright you are likely going to jam the damper wire 
> into the stoprail and the same basics apply to the pedal relationship to 
> damper lift.
>
> If you need more weight to your touch, there are easy and quick ways of 
> going about it that do not compromise reasonably standard regulation.  
> True, you can fudge a little with damper timing.  But that window is 
> very much smaller then what seems to be described below.  There is 
> nothing beautiful about the touch created in an action which has damper 
> timing set at the very beginning of the keystroke.  It wont take long 
> before pianists start making pertainant
>  remarks about it me thinks. Stick to basic regulation specs and solve 
> your weight problems in appropriate fashions.  JALPOA.
>
> RicB
>
>
>     Greetings,
>
>              I must admit, back in the days when I was not a piano tech,
>     I took
>     my upright piano apart and taped nuts to the rear of all the key
>     sticks. That
>     increased the weight. When I got home from tuning school I removed
>     them,
>     because I learned that adjusting the spoons can accomplish a heavire
>     touch.. But now
>     I am trying to find the time to adjust the spoons to make a heavier
>     touch.
>     Your felt thing is a really good idea!  It sort of does the same
>     thing a spoon
>     adjustment does only it can be undone easier than readjusting all
>     the spoons.
>
>     Julia
>     Reading, PA
>
>     In a message dated 11/16/2006 4:59:44 PM Eastern Standard Time,
>     spapaste at comcast.net writes:
>     2) I elected instead to tape a piece of thin felt (from a sheet with
>     adhesive backing costing .99/sheet in any crafts store), in the back
>     of each
>     key, on the damper lever key cushion, (at the point where it raises
the
>     dampers), in a way that the dampers are lifted almost immediately as
one
>     presses the key, thus giving a beautiful firm touch to the action,
>     by using
>     the weight of the dampers thus increasing the resistance and
>     resulting in a
>     heavier touch.
>
>