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Joined: May 2005
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Has anyone here ever regulated a vintage 2003 Mason and Hamlin grand ??
The action on my 2003 M&H BB is rather heavy - and it makes it difficult for me to play a few technically challenging pieces that I have no problem playing up to speed on other instruments due to their lighter touch (i.e., Kawai with the Millenium III action).
I realize that M&H made significant changes to their actions around 2007. I'm just wondering if something might be done to make my older M&H action lighter - or whether the design of the action is such that it can only be lightened so much regardless of how well the instrument is regulated.
Any thoughts would be appreciated -
Thanks
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Do you have touch weight measurements?
I lightened a Mason A from that time. Pulled off all the hammers, ran a full taper on them, lightened the shanks, sapped out the old capstans for the new super light ones.
Various friction reducing steps such as re-pinning any overly tight or loose flanges.
Gave it a nice regulation and the tough weight settled right in at 46-50 more or less.
This might have been "vintage" 2000 or 1999
Last edited by Larry Buck; 04/13/12 05:20 PM.
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2003 is not very vintage. I have a client with one that is just about the same age and the owner had a similar complaint. The problem was mostly excessive friction in the keys - especially at the balance rail holes. The action geometry was great - touch weights settled to Lo-50's down and Hi 20's to L0-30's up - and relatively consistent. It took about an hour to ease the keys. Any action can be made lighter but I would have your technician look at excessive friction and then evaluate the touch before you consider the next step - modification - which can get expensive.
x-rpt retired ptg member
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Here is something that may help with your touch weight without a lot of expense, it's adjustable, and has a lot of positive feedback ...."Touchrail" http://pitchlock.com/touch-rail/
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Hi Gents - Thanks for the responses !!! BTW, "vintage" can simply be used to mean the year or period of origin (a piano of 2003 vintage). Nevertheless, the actions of the new M&H's are much different than those used in models of ten years ago. Larry - I definitely need to measure the touch weight on all keys. Of those I did measure a few months ago, the range was from 52.5 to 62.5 down with the average around 55-57. It is good to know that it is possible to adjust the touch weight to between 46-50 down. I don't know to measure the "up" touch weight - and will leave that to my tech. Seems the fixes that you have suggested could run into some big bucks....but it probably beats buying another instrument !! Gene - aside from the current touch weight, I'm sure that friction might also be part of the problem. Grandpianoman - I'm aware of the Pitchlock device - but have heard mixed things about it. Best -
Last edited by carey; 04/14/12 12:38 AM.
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Regulation can help. Especially the whippen springs.
"Imagine it in all its primatic colorings, its counterpart in our souls - our souls that are great pianos whose strings, of honey and of steel, the divisions of the rainbow set twanging, loosing on the air great novels of adventure!" - William Carlos Williams
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Measuring static down-weight/up-weight doesn't really tell much; a piano can have low or high measurements and feel heavy or light. Earlier Burgett bros. Masons tended to feel heavy, so you will probably have to go with touch-weight correction (i.e. Stanwood Touch Design), but maybe not. Start by having a tech give your piano's action a proper friction treatment and regulation. If that doesn't improve your situation, you still have options.... just more expensive ones.
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Joined: May 2005
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Measuring static down-weight/up-weight doesn't really tell much; a piano can have low or high measurements and feel heavy or light. Earlier Burgett bros. Masons tended to feel heavy, so you will probably have to go with touch-weight correction (i.e. Stanwood Touch Design), but maybe not. Start by having a tech give your piano's action a proper friction treatment and regulation. If that doesn't improve your situation, you still have options.... just more expensive ones. Will do - thanks. Actually I'd probably consider purchasing another instrument before shelling out the big bucks for the Stanwood treatment !!
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Regulation can help. Especially the whippen springs. Thanks Dave !!
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Here is something that may help with your touch weight without a lot of expense, it's adjustable, and has a lot of positive feedback ...."Touchrail" http://pitchlock.com/touch-rail/ Be aware that that system can compensate for excessive static down weight, but does not reduce moment of inertia, which is often the problem with pianos whose actions feel heavy. To do the latter one either needs to lighten the hammers, reduce the action ratio, or both. Measurement of the action geometry and the various weights will provide the knowledge to judge the problem and suggest a fix.
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 13,956
Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
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OP
Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 13,956 |
Here is something that may help with your touch weight without a lot of expense, it's adjustable, and has a lot of positive feedback ...."Touchrail" http://pitchlock.com/touch-rail/ Be aware that that system can compensate for excessive static down weight, but does not reduce moment of inertia, which is often the problem with pianos whose actions feel heavy. To do the latter one either needs to lighten the hammers, reduce the action ratio, or both. Measurement of the action geometry and the various weights will provide the knowledge to judge the problem and suggest a fix. Good information. Thanks Roy !!!!!
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,489
3000 Post Club Member
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3000 Post Club Member
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Measuring static down-weight/up-weight doesn't really tell much; a piano can have low or high measurements and feel heavy or light. Earlier Burgett bros. Masons tended to feel heavy, so you will probably have to go with touch-weight correction (i.e. Stanwood Touch Design), but maybe not. Start by having a tech give your piano's action a proper friction treatment and regulation. If that doesn't improve your situation, you still have options.... just more expensive ones. Will do - thanks. Actually I'd probably consider purchasing another instrument before shelling out the big bucks for the Stanwood treatment !! I can assure you, having had my own piano Stanwoodized, that it is a far cheaper option than buying a different instrument.
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