[CAUT] pit under floor. was Re: Dollies and projection (was Hamburg leg bolt)

[wimblees at aol.com]

I am getting the picture. After I had several performers complain about 
the piano moving during hard play, I made a couple of blocks to fit 
under the front casters. It solved that problem, but I never thought 
about using them to get a better tone. I will give it a try.

Here is another question regarding projection. We have a pit under the 
main stage of the Concert Hall. I have always thought that not having 
the floor solid makes a difference in the sound that comes out of the 
piano. Anyone have any experience with that?

Wim
Willem Blees, RPT
Piano Tuner/Technician
School of Music
University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL USA

-----Original Message-----
From: Alan McCoy <amccoy at mail.ewu.edu>
To: College and University Technicians <caut at ptg.org> <caut at ptg.org>
Sent: Tue, 9 May 2006 12:53:29 -0700
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Dollies and projection (was Hamburg leg bolt)

Wim,

I wasn't thinking about taking the piano off the spider. Just wedging 
under
the cantilevered legs with a hardwood block to provide a more solid
connection.

Alan


> From: <wimblees at aol.com>
> Reply-To: "College and University Technicians <caut at ptg.org>" 
<caut at ptg.org>
> Date: Tue, 09 May 2006 14:20:48 -0400
> To: <caut at ptg.org>
> Subject: Re: [CAUT] Dollies and projection (was Hamburg leg bolt)
>
> Alan
>
> Personally I look at it more from a safety point of view, than tone
> projection. I think someone else mentioned that, too. I would much
> rather give up a litle projection, than having to replace the back 
leg,
> or worse, getting someone hurt. Both of our D's get moved A LOT, and
> one has to be moved over a low door jam from the back stage area to 
the
> stage. If that piano was not on a truck, one of the legs would have
> been busted off a long time ago.
>
> Wim
> Willem Blees, RPT
> Piano Tuner/Technician
> School of Music
> University of Alabama
> Tuscaloosa, AL USA
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Alan McCoy <amccoy at mail.ewu.edu>
> To: College and University Technicians <caut at ptg.org> <caut at ptg.org>
> Sent: Tue, 9 May 2006 09:44:49 -0700
> Subject: [CAUT] Dollies and projection (was Hamburg leg bolt)
>
> Is there a consensus out there that concert instruments project better
> with
> a solid contact to the floor as contrasted with a piano on a dolly
> (rubber
> wheels)? If so, what technique do you use to deal with it? I have
> several
> venues with pianos on dollies. If I can get better tone out of my 
pianos
> simply by making a more solid contact, I'll go home and make some
> wedges or
> whatever tonight! Pronto, rapidisimo, asap....... Pictures are always
> nice,
> if you have the time.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Alan
>
>
>> From: Jon Page <jonpage at comcast.net>
>> Reply-To: "College and University Technicians <caut at ptg.org>"
> <caut at ptg.org>
>> Date: Tue, 09 May 2006 07:09:57 -0400
>> To: <caut at ptg.org>
>> Subject: [CAUT] Hamburg leg bolt
>>
>> If students are to be moving this piano often, I'd worry more about
>> personal injury than tone.
>>
>> Definitely get a piano truck!!! If you want a solid contact to the
>> floor for performance then
>> make up some hardwood wedges to block under the legs.
>>
>> As a side note, when it comes time to remove or install a piano on a
> truck,
>> I have two small wedges (I call them 'Truck Stops') to place under
> the front
>> legs so the back arm does not flip upwards. To remove a truck, place
> both
>> Stops under the front legs and remove the rear leg from the truck.
>> When installing,
>> place a Stop under each front leg as it is positioned then simply
>> swing the rear
>> arm under the rear leg.
>> --
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Jon Page