hello everyone, I have an antique piano, a Bechstein, which I recently had restored. however, it is giving me some problems:
1) the keys click/snap irregularly, I have already noticed that it depends a lot on the escapement cylinders; I would like to understand to what extent I should let the hammer bounce from the middle of the key? I noticed that with less bounce it strikes faster, the keyboard feels more substantial but has less dynamics and the sound is more muffled.
2) problem and this is a problem: I have notes in the 5th and 6th octave that ring/clatter, producing a dirty sound (strings are being traversed that are otherwise tuned). Thanks to those who want to go crazy with me.
the problems seem many to me and there shouldn't be any after a restoration!! The functioning of the action can be restored. Regarding the sound, before such an important restoration, one must verify what the piano can offer and what can truly contribute to improving it. Condition of the hammers? Of the strings? Simultaneity of the hammer strike on the repetitions, soundboard charge, etc..... in short, consult the Technician who performed the restoration again
I know I should contact him, but I have lost a lot of trust in him because I seriously believe he has made a fool out of me.
Anyway, I would like to know one thing about the hammer-string distance in this piano:
the action is divided into 5 sections and each section at this moment has different distances, especially the second compared to the third and the fourth; is this normal?
the sound of the bass (first section) is very powerful, the second, being further from the strings, does not sound very loud, and the higher you go, the less it sounds.
Before the restoration, the piano was quite homogeneous and had more beautiful resonances; the sound was longer and grew after the attack, it sounded like an orchestra; now it is no longer like before. I don't know if it depends on the regulation of the action or if the new hammers are not that great.
In the meantime, I would like to understand if the hammer-string distances must be equal. Is there a website I can consult to find the distances given by the various manufacturers?
Ps: do you know any good technician in Sicily whom I can trust to regulate and tune it properly?
Watch my video tutorials on regulation. The hammer-to-string distance must be equal across all sections. Naturally, since the bass notes are higher, the hammers of the first section will be slightly higher. The others must be aligned. Naturally, there must be a proper ratio between the hammer-to-string distance and the key dip. All regulation can affect the sound or, rather, the energy produced by the mechanical parts. You tell me that the hammers are new and therefore should sound good unless they have been over-voiced. I know you may have lost confidence....I have heard this performance before...but whoever did the work must remedy it, explain it, and above all, must restore the old materials in order to be able to understand, throughout the life of the instrument, which restoration choices were made (this especially regarding the replacement of hammers and/or other parts of considerable structural importance!)
