Disklavier

Bill, thanks for the explanation. 

If I understand you correctly, the key weight cannot be adjusted (unless weights are put on the back of the keys, which I have done on my non-DKV U1 to make action heavier. I would not do this on a DKV.) 

We weren't comparing all the U1s, but just trying to see if there was a way to adjust this piano so the action was more to my liking. To the best of my tech's knowledge, there was no way to do this. 

The sound of the piano, while not ideal, was a different matter. It was brighter than the other U1s, but that was not as big a problem for me as the action. In general, this piano seemed inferior in every way to the two U1s that I own. The action seemed much too light and unresponsive, and the sound a bit "tinny" compared to the richness of the other pianos. Again, I was surprised that any U1 was so different. I wish there were a way to improve it, I'm open to any ideas...

> Regarding the U1s - an action on one piano is not going to be defective, compared to another U1 action. There really is a reason or reasons that one piano "feels" so much different than another.

But why do you think these differences exist - different parts, different design or manufacturing of U1s during  different years?

Sam 
www.keyboardcollective.com
(212) 684-3304





> On May 24, 2014, at 7:54 PM, "'Bill Brandom' bill.brandom03@... [disklavier]" <disklavier@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
> 
> Sam,
> 
> 
> This is the point I think your technician may have overlooked. Key dip and after touch have very little to do with a light or heavy touch.
> 
> Touch DOWN weight is the amount of weight placed about 5mm from the front end of the key to cause the key to go slowly through its stroke. This measurement is taken with the damper pedal down. This measurement basically defines how hard you have to push a key, to get it to go through its stroke. The less weight it takes, the lighter the touch.
> 
> An average down weight on a piano is about 2 ozs or 56 grams. A nickle weighs 5 grams, so if you stack 11 nickles on the key,this would equal about 55 grams. 
> 
> Touch UP weight (which is less, of course than down weight) is the amount of weight on the front of the  key for the key to return to its rest position.  Touch up weight has more to do with repetition than touch lightness or heavyness.
> 
> Comparing down weight from piano to piano gives you a good comparison of the weight issue.
> 
> Something else needs to be considered. What we hear can affect how a piano keyboard feels. If we compare two pianos with the same touch down weight, and one piano has a much brighter sound than the other, the brighter sounding piano's touch will feel much lighter...
> 
> Regarding the U1s - an action on one piano is not going to be defective, compared to another U1 action. There really is a reason or reasons that one piano "feels" so much different than another.
> 
> Bill 
> 
> —
> Sent from Mailbox
> 
> 
>> On Sat, May 24, 2014 at 4:28 PM, Sam Kanter skanter123@... [disklavier] <disklavier@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
>>  
>> Bill, what is touch weight, and how is it adjusted?
>> 
>> Sam
>> www.keyboardcollective.com
>> (212) 684-3304
>> 
>> *(Sent from phone - please excuse brevity and typos.)
>> 
>>> On May 24, 2014, at 1:02 AM, "Bill Brandom bill.brandom03@... [disklavier]" <disklavier@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>>  
>>> Hi Sam,
>>> 
>>> I am surprised too that your technician could not identify why the action on this piano is so much different than the two you have.
>>> 
>>> Did he say that the touch weight, key dip and aftertouch was the same on all three pianos?
>>> 
>>> If they are the same, what feels different on this piano?
>>> 
>>> Bill
>>> 
>>> Sent from my iPad
>>> 
>>>> On May 23, 2014, at 8:58 PM, "Skanter123 skanter123@... [disklavier]" <disklavier@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>  
>>>> I went and took another look at 2001 MPX 1Z UI upright I was considering buying. If you remember, last rime I checked it out I was unhappy with the feel of the action, as it seemed ultra light with little resistance or weight to it.
>>>> 
>>>> This time I took my tuner/tech. He inspected it carefully, but said there was nothing wrong with the instrument, and not much could be done to change the way it was. I own two other U1s, (one DKV and one non-DKV) and I really feel this piano is inferior in action and in sound. I'm surprised, as it is relatively unused, the DKV functions work fine, but playing the piano is nothing like the other two and just not a good experience. Very disappointing, as I wanted to buy this for my studio for teaching purposes.
>>>> 
>>>> Sam 
>>>> www.keyboardcollective.com
>>>> (212) 684-3304
>>>> 
>>>> 
>> 
> 
>