Kawai VPC1 versus Doepfner Masterkeyboard

Thank you very much for the answer. I understand that the VPC1 has the best action system possible. I am a bit confused. When I tried my (new) VPC1 I realized huge differences in the MIDI output on each key. Although I hit the keys with the same weight. Certainly, you can adjust the MIDI output with the software which comes along with the VPC1. I took a look at the inner area of the VPC1. I really don't understand what I see. Perhaps you might want to take a look at the pictures:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/4d1kh3x6poko...prEOa?dl=0

* The screws in the back part of the mechanism touch the black area of support partly to 50%;
* In the front area of the mechanism the hammer seems to slip from the grey area of support - it does not slip down really, it just looks so;
* The hammerheads seem to line up as a roller coaster instead of a line of accuracy;

In my further investigations, I was told from a profound side that all VPC1 look like this. But this should not influence the functionality. I really stuck and I don't know how to assess this.

How does it strike you?

My key issue is the following: I want to restore an old "Grand Piano". Concerning the keyboard I have two options:

1.) Use an electronic keyboard such as the VPC1;
2.) Restore the old "Renner Keyboard" and include the following mechanism, e.g.:
https://www.pianoteile.com/public/produ...amp;red=pr

The advantage of a VPC1 is very silent playing whereby the use of the original Keyboard most likely makes more noise while playing.

Any ideas from your side are welcome.

Kind regards
Stephan

I have an older samick grand and the pin block is getting worn...and the pins are starting to slip.  I've thought about installing the VPC1 into it and cutting all the strings.  You can install transducers on the soundboard for sound too.  Not sure it would be worth all the work.

I think these are two completely different options and you should think harder about your goals.

Option 1) is basically just getting some arguably nicer cosmetics for a normal digital piano. I understand that some people value aesthetics a lot, but I don't and I'd consider that just a gimmick. Nothing wrong if that's what you want, but be clear that you have simply the digital keyboard that you are going to stuff into the piano. I think the VPC1 is a fine as any (in its price range) as any other option. You can find ad-nauseam discussions about which keyboard is better in many digital piano forums (less so on this one).

I think the specimen in your possession is defective, so you'd have to get it fixed or replaced, but that is somewhat orthogonal to the discussion I am putting forward.

Option 2) is a total different beast, and it comes in two subvarieties. The first, is using something like the Pianoteile you posted (but there are a few others, for example QRS and Pianodisc, easy found, or Yamaha Disklavier, possible only on the used market of spare parts). In my opinion this is a subpar option, because these systems are designed to not disrupt the normal operations of the piano (particularly hammers hitting the strings), and as such they have limits on how they try to achieve the goal. Since your instrument is not an acoustic anymore, you'd be limiting yourself for no reasons. The second subvariety is basically building a Yamaha N1x or Kawai Novus NV10. This means that you will getting the absolutely best digital piano possible today. Price and effort will reflect that. The best way to do that is to have both hammer and keyboard sensors. There are no commercial options (yet?) for doing this, but you can take inspiration by like people such as https://github.com/gzweigle/DIY-Grand-Digital-Piano and https://github.com/jkominek/piano-conversion perhaps contact them and see what they are doing and if they are willing to collaborate with you.

So before moving forward you must think hard about your goals: just beautify regular tech of relatively inexpensive keyboards, or building something unique utilizing the very best technology available today, putting in the required effort and money?
If you are not clear with yourself about your goal, I doubt you will be able to be happy with the result

I am very intrigued by the pictures you have taken. I haven't actually open the VPC1 but have gone through the process of calibrating  keys using Brass Gram Weights and adjusting midi output when needed. A part the normal differences due to graded design, i didn't had any big delta in midi output to deal with. So unfortunately, I cannot assist here as I am not sure whether what you see on the pictures  you have taken is actually what causes the inconstancy of response in your VPC1 so , probably best to talk to Kawai support . Best .