Hello Mark and Joe, One thing I noticed that Mark mentioned was: "Muting the front duplex segment of an offending note stopped the metallic zinging sounds, but also robbed a great deal of the musical content of the note." Though I am certain someone already mentioned this, it would be impossible not to notice a few technicians around here have determined that installing "Pitch Lock Piano String Couplers" (www.PitchLock.com) in the front duplex segment ameliorates the same problems in this process without as much robbing the musical content of the notes. I have not yet formed a firm conviction about this, however. - Ben -----Original Message----- From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Cramer, Mark Sent: Thursday, May 07, 2009 12:42 AM To: caut at ptg.org Subject: Re: [CAUT] Capo hardening Thanks Joe, well I not so much want to coerce our suppliers/manufacturers, as to mobilize ourselves. Anyhow, I had a piano with severe metalic noise in the capo sections. The worst notes also lacked power, compared to neighhboring notes. Muting the front duplex segment of an offending note stopped the metallic zinging sounds, but also robbed a great deal of the musical content of the note. Reshaping the capo to restore the profile and remove string cuts made an immediate improvement, however the improvement would only last a very short time. In fact, I could hear the noise returning almost as quickly as I tuned, and removing the strings (again) confirmed that the grooves were back. So, in short form, that's how I came to believe the capo surface was too soft. Likewise, in hardening the capo, I wasn't trying to create something, just fix a problem. I was trying to restore *normal* hardness, whatever that might be. The initial project was a success, with full power of notes restored throughout the section, and only minor noise from some notes, typical of what we often hear, and musicians don't. Since then I've tried several different methods of capo hardening, all of which seem to be succesful, but vary in preparation and finishing time. There are also a variety of opinions on how hard a capo should be... as hard as the string, harder than the string, etc. and I won't get into that... I really don't know. So my parameters are still pretty simple: 1.) I too am likely opposed to hardening a capo, unless of course it needs it. (symptoms described above) (In which case, I am likely opposed to someone suggesting that this musically defeating condition could not/should not be repaired) String noise and capo condition has just become one of those things I look for when assessing a piano for re-stringing. 2.) Finding the right welder (it ain't me!) is essential, and it's good idea to have them demonstrate technique on something non-critical first. As to what I aim for: 3.) The capo needs to be harder than it was before, and we need a way to prove it. (hammering a peice of music wire over the apex without leaving a dent may prove the capo is harder than the string, or perhaps hardening to the point of being unable to file the surface may be enough... I've used both) 4.) Ultimately, the hardness should be evident when re-stringing, (you will notice the strings move sideways freely) in that the noise is gone, the power has returned, and the results are lasting. 5.) More recently, as we experiment with a variety of less invasive techniques (don't ask... we're not there quite yet!), I'm becoming open to the idea of hardening every capo, to a measureable degree (i.e.: the file test) as a matter of pre-stringing service, along with agraffee and bridge preparationg. I hope this information is helpful Joe. I've consulted with many people over several years before attempting this, and am thankful to them all. You may find discussions in the CAUT archives. Ron Overs is a remarkable resource, and there should be some good reading on his web-site. best regards, Mark C. -----Original Message----- From: Joe Wiencek <jwpiano at earthlink.net> To: caut at ptg.org Date: Wed, 06 May 2009 23:29:34 -0400 Subject: [CAUT] Capo hardening Hi Mark, I found your post interesting about getting a posse to petition manufacturers to conform to the changing demands of technicians. I was struck by one thing you mentioned about hardening the capos. I had just hosted Ed McMorrow in NYC for a seminar, and his stance is definitely in opposition to hardening the capo. Can you enlighten me as to what end you aim for in the hard capo? I'm asking from a point of ignorance. Thanks, Joe Wiencek, Vice President, PTG NYC Chapter 101 jwpiano at earthlink.net tel: 551 358 4006 -----Original Message----- From: Joe Wiencek <jwpiano at earthlink.net> To: caut at ptg.org Date: Wed, 06 May 2009 23:29:34 -0400 Subject: [CAUT] Capo hardening Hi Mark, I found your post interesting about getting a posse to petition manufacturers to conform to the changing demands of technicians. I was struck by one thing you mentioned about hardening the capos. I had just hosted Ed McMorrow in NYC for a seminar, and his stance is definitely in opposition to hardening the capo. Can you enlighten me as to what end you aim for in the hard capo? I'm asking from a point of ignorance. Thanks, Joe Wiencek, Vice President, PTG NYC Chapter 101 jwpiano at earthlink.net tel: 551 358 4006
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