Key depression

Hammer-string distance and key dip must always go hand in hand. Therefore, if one wants to decrease the dip, it can be done, but simultaneously with the hammer-string distance. One simply needs to place a shim on the felt where the back of the keys rests. Theoretically, rapid passages should come out better, but energy is lost on the forte and fortissimo. Personally, rapid passages do not improve for me with such an adjustment because I cannot, with little dip, be "volatile" with my fingers while still maintaining the same aftertouch. We are not all the same. One can also act on the spring tension: I have found that if it is loaded a bit slower or a bit stronger, it can affect fast repetition, affecting its reactivity in the first case or providing too much resistance to the touch in the second case. Obviously, we are talking about a mechanism in excellent condition!

Right, Francesco!

Alright, thanks for the advice

I forgot to tell you that it is an upright...

And if I wanted to decrease the "aftertouch", just enough to let the escapement release, could I do it?

Initially, the keys had a let-off of slightly less than 9mm, an escapement of 4mm, and a hammer-to-string distance of 48mm...

In fact, I was having difficulty playing pp

Unfortunately, I cannot find the correct recommended measurements for my piano since it is quite old

To perform pp well, you must not decrease the aftertouch; on the contrary, there is a danger of so-called "bobbling," i.e., hammer bounce. With small variations between the various cases, the measurements would be 45 mm for the hammer-string distance, about 10 mm (but also more) for the white key let-off/depth, 3-2-1 mm for the escapement (1 mm more if the practice pedal is present, but I recommend removing it). For the black key, a height of 12 mm relative to the white key and enough depth to have the same aftertouch as the whites. If you deviate too much, you would have the same problems that I illustrated before for the grand piano. Of course, do not expect the same performance!

And what about the repetitions?

On some keys (especially the black keys), it is as if the jack cannot move quickly under the hammer knob and therefore cannot "escape" again

The center pins have been changed throughout the entire action, so it is certainly not a friction problem but a regulation issue

Have the key pins and mortises been reviewed? The felt of the hammers? Are the weights correct? Does the black key protrude from the white one by 12 mm and with a dip such that it has the same aftertouch as the white key? The bushings? There are many aspects to evaluate. Besides the fact that in the vertical, the keys are short and the black ones even more so.

You must act on the pilot. Screw them in until, by moving the escapement lever, they easily return under the cam with minimal play. The hammer repetitions must rest on the felt of the hammer rest rail, unlike the tail, where the wippens must remain suspended.

I will take a look at what you have said and I will try to lower the hammers slightly where I notice this defect most...

I hope that is the problem

I am opting for "do it yourself" because besides being passionate about the subject and succeeding egregiously in what I have done so far, reliable technicians are difficult to find as well as being very expensive...

They asked me around €1000 to make the various adjustments, for 4 or 5 hours of work; I don't know the costs well but it seems slightly excessive to me

To ask for such a sum, there is probably something else besides the adjustments and the working hours are probably to be considered in the laboratory.

So to recap,

If I want to decrease the depth, I must decrease the hammer-string distance and increase the escapement distance...

Right?

Yes, but beyond the rule, one must see how the mechanism behaves: these are distances that can vary.

Why increase the escapement distance?

Perhaps increasing the spring tension a little bit instead.

This way you get a keyboard that is a bit more "digital," snappier and less dynamic. With these adjustments, it becomes unlikely to be able to "muddy" the keyboard (excuse my terminology), or to create effects or to play "on eggshells" (excuse me again). It depends on the repertoire one wants to perform. Scarlatti would come easily to me; a Chopin nocturne (I am studying op. 55) would become much more complicated for me, with its almost timid incipits, and moments of torment interspersed with dreamy atmospheres.

if I wanted to leave the depth at 10mm by increasing the "dopotocco", what could I do?

In such a way as to facilitate the upright returning to position

Decrease the hammer-string distance or make the hammer trigger earlier.

Alright, I will try with the first piece of advice, I prefer to have the escapement very close

Thanks for the advice!

It seems he managed to regulate everything in a balanced way

Hammer - string distance: 46mm

Escapement: 2.7 low, 1.7 medium

1 treble mm

Let-off (Affondo): 1 mm

Aftertouch: 2 mm

The only problem is that the F4 hammer, after "escaping," moves forward once the key is released...

I tried to lower the repetition lever (pilota), but at that point there would be that sensation of emptiness when starting to press the key

I can't understand where the problem is