Soft-Fall lid on used Yamaha U3 or U1 upright pianos?

MarkGoodwinPianos · Post by **MarkGoodwinPianos** » 19 Aug 2008, 14:14

Hello there
I was just hoping someone could let me know if anyone is selling a 3rd party hinge (or similar system) that can be fitted to 2nd hand pianos (Yamaha U3 and U1 in particular) to convert it into a soft-fall fallboard.

Thanks for any info
Regards,
Mark

joseph · Post by **joseph** » 19 Aug 2008, 17:52

hi mark

i have no idea BUT i have seen such a system on some IRMLER upright pianos (imported by bluthners in London) and it was something that bolted on to the end block of the keyboard (you know, where the pencils and the mobile phone goes), so just perhaps talking to Rodney and Bluthner might help unless someone else on the forum has a solution

mdw · Post by **mdw** » 19 Aug 2008, 21:38

F & N do one. Its not pretty but it does the job.

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 20 Aug 2008, 07:21

mdw wrote:F & N do one. Its not pretty but it does the job.

Can anything be uglier than the Yamaha one?

sussexpianos · Post by **sussexpianos** » 20 Aug 2008, 18:28

baumgartel of Germany, you can get them from Heck or F&N, they do a softfall which you can hardley see. I've fitted some. You drill into the fall , behind the hinge and place the damper system. The other bit goes on the opposite of the hinge. Its very neat. The grand system is also very good and neat but a pain to fit. I would fit the grand system to polyester as you have to cut a hole in the inner side.
ps, this post should be in dealers section

joseph · Post by **joseph** » 21 Aug 2008, 00:22

why is a soft fall important?

mdw · Post by **mdw** » 21 Aug 2008, 08:34

joseph wrote:why is a soft fall important?

Its not. Ive never found it hard to close the fall on piano quietly!!!! and I close 5 a day most days of the week, but the perhaps ive had lots of practice!!!!

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 21 Aug 2008, 08:41

joseph wrote:why is a soft fall important?

On a grand, where the fall rests just behind its balance point, a slow-motion fall is a good idea, and I've had at least two teachers who have bought pianos with this feature to eliminate a possible lawsuit due to small pupils dropping the fall on their dandies (oh, the American litigious society is coming here.....) but on an upright where the fall rests back on the top door it's largely a sales gimmick.

The adoption of the slow-fall design on the U1 and U3 resulted in a fugly piano too.

joseph · Post by **joseph** » 21 Aug 2008, 10:35

well i meant on an upright

Once, I played Rhapsody In Blue with my former conservatoire orchestra, on a 20 year old Yamaha CFIII which was still a nice piano.. however, during the little cuban section where your hands are over each other playing fast repeated notes, my knuckle hit the fallboard and it started to descend. With a slightly theatrical hand movement I managed to sweep it back up and luckily nobody noticed!

I've never had that problem with a Steinway though, or old kawais etc which must have enough balance to keep the lid up!

MarkGoodwinPianos · Post by **MarkGoodwinPianos** » 22 Aug 2008, 12:14

Cool, thanks for the info chaps
Especially sussexpianos

I'll looking to pricing with F&N
cheers
mark

sussexpianos · Post by **sussexpianos** » 22 Aug 2008, 16:53

sorry, dont fit the grand system to polyester coated as when you cut into it, the poly cracks.

athomik · Post by **athomik** » 26 Aug 2008, 09:39

sussexpianos wrote:sorry, dont fit the grand system to polyester coated as when you cut into it, the poly cracks.

Gaffer tape and a VEEEERRRYYYYY slow drill speed with a wood drilling bit usually is OK.(well, at least the couple of occasions I tried it)