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Does Disklavier mechanism change the fell of the action?

Does Disklavier mechanism change the fell of the action?

2002-06-25 by bin_kuei

I took my sister (who plays piano for 30+ years) to a very nice 
dealership in the Bay Area to check out MPX1Z (48" upright Disklavier 
with silent mode) and MX1Z (48" upright Disklavier w/o silent mode), 
both based on the U1. She noticed the keys are stiffer when the 
Disklavier control deck is powered on. The keys become stiffer and 
she needed to labor more. Not expecting this, I did a blind test and 
she always knows when the power was on. 

We also tested the U1 and it was free of the stiff, heavy feeling she 
sensed. We went back and forth among the three and roughly concluded 
the U1 has the "cleanest" action followed by MPX1Z (Disklavier off), 
MX1Z (disklavier off), MPX1Z (Disklavier on) and MX1Z (Disklavier 
on). The action feeling of the MX1Z was so stiff that she could not 
recommend it.

Are the pianos not properly set up?  Can anybody shed some light on 
what have we encountered? I do not play but did some research towards 
our pending purchase. I know many people has mentioned the silent 
mode changed the action due to a shank being moved in to block the 
hammer. However, I do not recall any comments on the Disklavier 
mechanism as a whole that changes the action feeling (for the worse) 
vs. a U1.  Should these Disklavier uprights based on the U1 play 
differently than the U1 at all?  Any Disklavier guru out there, 
please help!

Thanks,
Bin

Re: [disklavier] Does Disklavier mechanism change the fell of the action?

2002-07-01 by Carol Beigel

Turning a Disklavier on and off should have no effect on the feeling of the 
keys.  However, turning the Silent Mode on and off could.  When the Silent 
mode is turned on, the let-off, or escapement is sooner.  That means the 
hammers starts back to rest at a greater distance before hitting the string. 
  However, Yamaha has gone to great lengths in designing a special hammer 
jack that should alleviate this problem.

Probably the single most common cause of heaviness of the keys in an upright 
piano is the balance hole adjustment of the key and the key bushings.  The 
key pivots on the balance pin, like a see-saw, and often that hole is too 
tight.  A good piano technician can fix this in about 20 minutes on an 
upright piano and about one hour or so on a grand piano. A special tool is 
inserted from the top of the key, and only the sides of this hole are eased.

Perhaps the three different pianos your sister tried needed this adjustment. 
  Most piano technicians will regulate a U1 piano without even thinking.  
Although the adjustment and procedure is identical for a piano equipped with 
a Disklavier, many piano technicians are reluctant to take the keys out and 
fix the problem.  Perhaps this difference was the piano regulation and had 
nothing to do with the Disklavier.

Carol Beigel



>From: "bin_kuei" <bin_kuei@...>
>Reply-To: disklavier@yahoogroups.com
>To: disklavier@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: [disklavier] Does Disklavier mechanism change the fell of the 
>action?
>Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2002 00:07:22 -0000
>
>I took my sister (who plays piano for 30+ years) to a very nice
>dealership in the Bay Area to check out MPX1Z (48" upright Disklavier
>with silent mode) and MX1Z (48" upright Disklavier w/o silent mode),
>both based on the U1. She noticed the keys are stiffer when the
>Disklavier control deck is powered on. The keys become stiffer and
>she needed to labor more. Not expecting this, I did a blind test and
>she always knows when the power was on.
>
>We also tested the U1 and it was free of the stiff, heavy feeling she
>sensed. We went back and forth among the three and roughly concluded
>the U1 has the "cleanest" action followed by MPX1Z (Disklavier off),
>MX1Z (disklavier off), MPX1Z (Disklavier on) and MX1Z (Disklavier
>on). The action feeling of the MX1Z was so stiff that she could not
>recommend it.
>
>Are the pianos not properly set up?  Can anybody shed some light on
>what have we encountered? I do not play but did some research towards
>our pending purchase. I know many people has mentioned the silent
>mode changed the action due to a shank being moved in to block the
>hammer. However, I do not recall any comments on the Disklavier
>mechanism as a whole that changes the action feeling (for the worse)
>vs. a U1.  Should these Disklavier uprights based on the U1 play
>differently than the U1 at all?  Any Disklavier guru out there,
>please help!
>
>Thanks,
>Bin
>




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Re: Does Disklavier mechanism change the feel of the action?

2002-07-01 by bin_kuei

Dear Carol,

Thank you for your explanation. It is good that no one else (not even 
one) echoes a similar difference with their Disklavier piano between 
power on and off. Or, between their unit and a comparable non-
Disklavier unit. We may just be overly critical. More test plays is 
in order.

Regards,


--- In disklavier@y..., "Carol Beigel" <carolrpt@h...> wrote:
> Turning a Disklavier on and off should have no effect on the 
feeling of the 
> keys.  However, turning the Silent Mode on and off could.  When the 
Silent 
> mode is turned on, the let-off, or escapement is sooner.  That 
means the 
> hammers starts back to rest at a greater distance before hitting 
the string. 
>   However, Yamaha has gone to great lengths in designing a special 
hammer 
> jack that should alleviate this problem.
> 
> Probably the single most common cause of heaviness of the keys in 
an upright 
> piano is the balance hole adjustment of the key and the key 
bushings.  The 
> key pivots on the balance pin, like a see-saw, and often that hole 
is too 
> tight.  A good piano technician can fix this in about 20 minutes on 
an 
> upright piano and about one hour or so on a grand piano. A special 
tool is 
> inserted from the top of the key, and only the sides of this hole 
are eased.
> 
> Perhaps the three different pianos your sister tried needed this 
adjustment. 
>   Most piano technicians will regulate a U1 piano without even 
thinking.  
> Although the adjustment and procedure is identical for a piano 
equipped with 
> a Disklavier, many piano technicians are reluctant to take the keys 
out and 
> fix the problem.  Perhaps this difference was the piano regulation 
and had 
> nothing to do with the Disklavier.
> 
> Carol Beigel
> 
> 
> 
> >From: "bin_kuei" <bin_kuei@y...>
> >Reply-To: disklavier@y...
> >To: disklavier@y...
> >Subject: [disklavier] Does Disklavier mechanism change the fell of 
the 
> >action?
> >Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2002 00:07:22 -0000
> >
> >I took my sister (who plays piano for 30+ years) to a very nice
> >dealership in the Bay Area to check out MPX1Z (48" upright 
Disklavier
> >with silent mode) and MX1Z (48" upright Disklavier w/o silent 
mode),
> >both based on the U1. She noticed the keys are stiffer when the
> >Disklavier control deck is powered on. The keys become stiffer and
> >she needed to labor more. Not expecting this, I did a blind test 
and
> >she always knows when the power was on.
> >
> >We also tested the U1 and it was free of the stiff, heavy feeling 
she
> >sensed. We went back and forth among the three and roughly 
concluded
> >the U1 has the "cleanest" action followed by MPX1Z (Disklavier 
off),
> >MX1Z (disklavier off), MPX1Z (Disklavier on) and MX1Z (Disklavier
> >on). The action feeling of the MX1Z was so stiff that she could not
> >recommend it.
> >
> >Are the pianos not properly set up?  Can anybody shed some light on
> >what have we encountered? I do not play but did some research 
towards
> >our pending purchase. I know many people has mentioned the silent
> >mode changed the action due to a shank being moved in to block the
> >hammer. However, I do not recall any comments on the Disklavier
> >mechanism as a whole that changes the action feeling (for the 
worse)
> >vs. a U1.  Should these Disklavier uprights based on the U1 play
> >differently than the U1 at all?  Any Disklavier guru out there,
> >please help!
> >
> >Thanks,
> >Bin
> >
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _________________________________________________________________
> Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: 
http://messenger.msn.com

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