Percussive Tadashi

[Donald E. Mannino]

John,

Sounds like a plate boom to me. Use your fist to bump each plate strut =
individually, and see if one of them (most likely a long one without a =
nose bolt) doesn't make the noise very loud.

I don't know of a solution, but I have heard this symptom before. It can =
be a beneficial part of the piano tone in some pianos.

Don Mannino

----------
From: 	Granholm Bros.[SMTP:gbros@term.wanweb.net]
Sent: 	Wednesday, April 02, 1997 6:51 PM
To: 	pianotech@byu.edu
Subject: 	Percussive Tadashi

List:

Today I tuned a Tadashi grand, probably less than 10 years old, with no
visible faults.  During the tuning, I noticed something I haven't
experience before, and I hope maybe someone out there can help me with =
it.

This piano makes a sound like a drum when the keys are played.   It's =
not a
dull thump or a crack like might come from a warped keyframe knocking on
the bed.  This is more of a "poom" sound, with a definite pitch (about =
that
of a tom-tom in a trap set), and about a half-second sustain.  No hint =
of a
rattle, just a poom.

I investigated further.  I thumped the bottom of the keybed with a =
closed
fist.  Poom.  I went around the rim, pounding with closed fist.  Poom.
Poom.  Things seemed to quiet down as I moved toward the back of the =
rim,
near the bass bridge, then liven up again as I continued around the =
rim...

This was my first time on the piano, and the customer wasn't home.  But
this intriges me, because in 15 years of tuning I've never heard =
anything
like it.  And in case I get asked to track it down, I need some ideas =
about
where to start looking.

Any suggestions?

John Granholm
Granholm Bros Piano Rejuvenations
Roseburg, OR
gbros@term.wanwb.net