[CAUT] What the.....?

[Gerald Groot]

True, you don't need much bearing but, we do need some.  If we have negative
bearing, it's worse.  I know it sounds like a messed up way of doing a fix
but, I've heard the difference before and after.  This fellow used to
experiment with the location of the wire on the bridge moving it around
until he got the best sound from it.  I thought it was interesting to watch
him and more interesting to hear the improvement.  J

 

From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of David
Love
Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2011 11:31 AM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [CAUT] What the.....?

 

I don't know, I set up pianos with virtually no bearing on the bass bridge
all the time, by design, in fact.  Just did a new board (Steinway) with
pretty much zero bearing at the bottom of the bass bridge.  You don't need
much bearing (if any) on the bass bridge.  Can even be counterproductive.


 

David Love

www.davidlovepianos.com

 

From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Gerald
Groot
Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2011 8:18 AM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [CAUT] What the.....?

 

Actually, it was done to increase bearing in that area of the bridge. A
great lack if it can cause that noisy "thwany" sound that we've all heard.
I know of a fellow here in GR, deceased now, that used that method on very
old uprights to get people through when they didn't want to trade in the
pianos for sentimental value or what have you or when they didn't have a lot
of money to spend on them but yet, wanted a better sound.  He was very good
at it.  It really did make a tremendous difference if the right sized wire
is used and placed in the right area of the bridge.  

 

No, I've never done it but, I've watched him do it many times over the
years.  

 

Jer

 

From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of David
Love
Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2011 11:03 AM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [CAUT] What the.....?

 

My guess is faulty reasoning to liven a set of dead bass strings.  Probably
made no difference but at that point taking them out was too much hassle.
One can't assume that bazaar things done to pianos were for a good reason or
even produced a better result.  

 

David Love

www.davidlovepianos.com

 

From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of mick
johnson
Sent: Monday, January 17, 2011 6:25 PM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: [CAUT] What the.....?

 

 I assumed downbearing too, so I pulled out the rocker gauge and was
surprised to find good downbearing throughout the entire piano. Didn't check
for crown though.

It may have been an improvement decades ago, but those strings were dead. I
played across the pinned and non-pinned areas with my eyes closed, listening
very closely for any 

tonal improvement, but was consistent. Consistently poor, but consistent. As
for measuring the harmonic envelope, maybe on the next visit, or if it ends
up in my home shop.



-- 
Mick Johnson, R.P.T.
University of Nebraska, Kearney
Kearney, NE
308-237-9264

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