A few years ago while I was in Washington D.C., our chapter invited Heiner Sandwald (of Fazioli fame) to give a seminar at David Hughes shop in Baltimore MD (Reisterstown actually). Caster Cups eventually became a topic of the weekend long conversation. Incidentally, Dave's shop has a concrete floor. And yes, eventually caster cups were placed under the grand and we all definitely heard a marked improvement to the sound of the piano. What was generally agreed on as an improvement in the quality of the sound was due to increased sustain. Heiner described ... sound travels through all parts of the piano, in the soundboard, the rim, hinges, keys, action, legs, everywhere. A (good) sustained sound in the piano is the result of sound being reflected again and again throughout the piano until it finally dies out. If you place your hand on the leg of a piano you can feel the vibration travel down. If that sound is lost to the floor then the sustain time is reduced and the sound is therefore not permitted to return back up the into the instrument. If however, the sound is permitted to return back into the piano then this is good. Just a bit of my experience. Sincerely; Garret Traylor -- -------------------------------------- Garret Traylor Equal Temperament Services PSC 482 Box 14 FPO, AP 96362-0014 (Okinawa Japan, Kadena Air Force Base) Associate Member at Large Piano Technicians Guild Washington D.C. Alpha Chapter Web: http://www.EqualTemperament.com E-mail: traylorg@EqualTemperament.com E-mail: garret@kdn0.attnet.or.jp --------------------------------------
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