STEINWAY HEAVY ACTION

[stzorfas]

I recently posted a topic on the performance page about my frustrating experience
playing a Steinway with a heavy action.  I have an August Forster 215 Grand piano with a very light action.  I did some research into making the action stiffer and one non-invasive thing I can do is add "jiffy" wights to the keys.  How much stiffer will this
make my action.  Will it be more like a Steinway or Mason Hamlin or even an Estonia-
I have played these pianos which are all "stiffer" than mine.  Please advise.

[gfiore]

 Are you nuts? The Renner action in your 215 is set up and weighed-off to meticulous standards in the Förster factory. The action in your piano is not a Steinway, or Mason action, and it never will be. They have a different  feel and geometry.  Enjoy your piano for the superb instrument it is, just because the other pianos are heavier, which could be because of numerous different reasons, ( need regulation, incorrect geometry,etc) you don't want your piano to function in a way it was not designed to. Adding jiffy leads would be a big mistake.

[stzorfas]

To gfiore-  I have a practical problem that I hope has a practical solution.
After I bought the piano I have decided to go back to school for piano performance.
Every time I play a Steinway I have difficulty because of the stiff action.
The jiffy weights seem to be a relatively safe solution.  I need to do something!
The August Forster is a great piano but it certainly is much lighter in action than
any other grand piano I play.  To buy another piano would be an additional
$25,000.00 or so (money I don't have).  I can't trade in my August Forster
for another piano- I tried this.  To sell it on my own would be difficult.
The jiffy weights can be removed in the future if I desire.  Will adding the
jiffy weights hurt my piano in any way? Please advise

[gfiore]

 Jiffy leads are not the way to go. They must be screwed into the keysticks. When they are removed, they leave ugly holes that need to be repaired. If you really must have it heavier, have your tech clip a 1/2 inch paper binder clip onto each hammer shank. This will add the weight, but will also change the tone a bit, and some aspects of the action regulation will need to be re-regulated again. At least when the clips are removed, there will be no damage.
 Now for my real advice. Get used to the other pianos you come into contact with. Because they have issues, it does'nt mean you have to make your piano, which is performing correctly, take on the same issues. A pianist needs to be able to make the most of each piano they encounter.

[stzorfas]

gfiore- one more question: when you say the action will have to be regulated again after adding the weights could you tell me briefly what this entails?  Thanks!

[gfiore]

 The repetition springs will all need to be regulated again, as well as the backchecks in most cases.

[frichmondj]

I hate to say it, but..........................after having grown up using a Steinway with a heavy action.......................I can't play anything else now. 

On the plus side, I have very strong hands now.............................

[Axtremus]

I do indeed feel that August Förster's action is, across the board, lighter than most other grand pianos I have played (except perhaps the Bösendorfers), although I have found it very controllable and, frankly, I like it quite a bit! That is August Förster's design intent, that's how they want their pianos to play -- that's also why some might feel you really shouldn't try to change that fundamental charactersitc of the piano too much and make it something it's never meant to be.

Other than modifying your pianos, I'm afraid your only other option would be to practice/rehearse more on the pianos on which you're expected to perform!

When you think about it, not every one can afford a big grand piano. Many piano students have to make do with very different instruments at home and in practice rooms compared than what they have to play on stage for juries, recitals, competitions, etc. (E.g., small upright at home, big Steinway on stage.) The only recourse most people have, really, is to get more practice/rehearsal time more on the target stage pianos. Your situation is really not that different from this point of view.

Whether you're going to modify your piano, trade it in for another piano, or just learn to adapt your playing, I wish you luck.