Piano Forum

Piano Street Magazine:
World Piano Day 2025

Piano Day is an annual worldwide event that takes place on the 88th day of the year, which in 2025 is March 29. Established in 2015, it is now well known across the globe and this year we celebrate it’s 10th anniversary! Read more

Pages: [1] Go Down

Topic: Lead weight (Read 2010 times)

rohade

PS Silver Member
Newbie
Posts: 16

Lead weight

on: January 30, 2013, 06:18:50 PM

Do almost every piano have lead weights?, I have an Erard, it has heavy action as it has none, zero leads but every other piano I see has them and of course, action is lighter.

I wonder if those pianos like Erard, Gaveau or Pleyel didn't have lead weights back then and is there is a modern piano that comes without them.

Logged

justharmony

PS Silver Member
Full Member
Posts: 105

Re: Lead weight

Reply #1 on: April 10, 2013, 09:25:31 AM

I'm not a piano technician so I can't answer all your questions, but my understanding is that most modern pianos do have lead weights in them but not all - a response to the chain reaction of things that had to happen to the instrument in order to make a more high tension and powerful sounding/projecting piano. Historic instruments were different, and didn't have lead weights. Didn't need them. Playing on such instruments is an entirely different (and wonderful) experience than playing a modern grand.

That's the simple answer, as far as I know.
JH