Dead Note

[Travis Gordy]

Dear Bonifield-Poulson:

I have had similar experience with other old uprights and found the end
of the bridge under that note to be unglued from th soundboard.
Pressure applied to the end of the bridge to force it against the
soundboard may confirm lack of contact.  A screw and button might fix
the problem if you can get to the spot from the back.  Is this possibly
a place for that do everything CA glue?  Good luck.

Travis Gordy

Bonifield-Poulson wrote:
>
> List Members: I recently restrung Vose and Sons upright, circa 1900.
> One problem has cropped up.  G5, the first note after the treble plate
> strut, has very little sustain and much less volume than its
> neighboring notes.  I've tried voicing it up, down, and every which
> way, with no improvement.  The bridge at this point is notched quite
> deeply,to pass under the strut, and the strings for G5 are very close
> to the edge of the notching.  Scott Johnson of this list has suggested
> that the energy transmission has been compromised by having the
> strings so close to the edge.  He suggested installing a maple bar on
> the back side of the soundboard, behind the bridge, to increase the
> energy transmission, and also lightening the hammer moulding and
> reshaping the hammer to more of a pointed shape.  Any other ideas
> before I dive in to these modifications?  The owner is  nervous about
> operating on his heirloom instrument.  Thanks, Patrick Poulson, RPT