Question on upgrading upright piano <re-post>

[tammytang]

Hi all,

I have a Kawai upright (played for around 6 years). It's sound is beautiful but the responding of the keys is not fast enough (especially when playing repeated notes).
I asked my technician about this and he advised that this problem can be improved by refining the nap between the connection of the keys and hammers. And the whole set of hammers will be moved a little bit forward to the strings too in order to have heavier touching. For this upgrading process, I don't need to deliver the whole piano to the technician's place but only the whole part of the hammers. It will take around 2 weeks and costs about $450.

If this can upgrade my piano, it'll be great! But I'm just wondering if this really helps and if I want to sell my piano one day, I could not get a good price as some changing has been done to it.....

Did anyone do this to your piano? Does this really help?

[alessandro]

Dear,
Sounds at least a little weird.  Take out all of the hammers and bring 'm over to the technician ?! What's that good for ?!
Is the piano worth it ? What's the value of your Kawai ? I'm a sceptical type of guy... Let the technician work at your place...  Let's suppose that it can be fixed, let the guy come over two or three afternoons or something.  The quickness of repeated notes doesn't look in my eyes as something that has to do with the hammer in itself.  It's more something with 'weight' of the note, maybe something in the 'échapatoire', or just something to do with the - no offense - low category of piano...
Bringing the hammers closer to the strings will mean a loss of volume, there will be a loss of power and brilliancy...  Maybe just get like a second opinion.   There sure is someone on this forum with a professional opinion.  I'm not totally satisfied with my piano neither, but that can mainly be changed by buying another one, a grand piano, 1/4, more expensive instrument...
Good luck.

[mic2005]

I think the piano needs some regulation works. Get a second opinion.

[dan101]

If you trust your technician, I'd go for the repair, considering you like the piano. I know that I was quoted three hundred a couple of years ago for a similar upgrade on our school piano. The school didn't want the upgrade, which would have involved us losing the piano for about a week. However, we may well be paying the price now, as the piano keeps having to be repaired for this and that every four months or so.

If you're absolutely not comfortable, upgrade to a different piano or call another technician. Good luck.

[daniloperusina]

Hi!
Sounds like your technician is right. First the fit between keys and the action should be precise, if not this is known as "lost motion", which happens in every piano with time. Also with time and wear the distance between hammers and strings slightly increases and this must also be adjusted. For every make and model there's usually an exactly calibrated distance at which the action performs at it's best. There are a few more things that need to work smoothly like the precise friction in every pin, that the knuckle is well lubricated and not too worn, that the hammer is released near enough the strings, all of which help to create a very fast and responsive action.

I don't fully understand your description of what you understood the techician to have told you, but basically it all sounds perfectly correct with the exception that for most of the adjustments you need the action in the piano.

If this can upgrade my piano, it'll be great! But I'm just wondering if this really helps and if I want to sell my piano one day, I could not get a good price as some changing has been done to it.....

If done correctly it will abolutely help, and you will not decrease the value of your piano, you will increase it! You can advertise it with the added "has been serviced by an authorised technician", which only means that it's in better shape!

You see, despite how much we love the piano for it's singing abilities, it's actually a very mechanical instrument. And as such it needs regular service, the more the better. Would you buy a used car that has never been checked and serviced? It's a bit the same..