U1 Buzz

[Newton Hunt]

Dear Zoran,

Thank you for your post and I am glad you can laugh about your
problem.

Put away your shooter.  There is always a solution, even if it means
replacing the piano.

Several things come to mind:
	Check to see if the damper wire is touch the string.  If this is the
case you can make a tiny bend in the wire just above the damper lever
top flange to cause the wire to touch the bushing away from the
string.  If this does not work you can enlarge the bushed hole to
allow more movement.  If all else fails you can make a series of bends
in the wire such that the wire is bent away from the string just above
the guide rail then an opposite bend to straighten the wire then
increase the dog leg bends at the damper block.  Radical but it does
work.  
	There could be some problem with the agraffe such as a burr touching
the string.  Often you can move the wire in a circular motion or left
and right in front and in back of the agraffe to move the burr out of
the way.  Check to see if the wire rises a sufficient amount when it
leaves the agraffe going to the tuning pin.  This rise should be 10 to
15 degrees otherwise the string bounces around inside the agraffe
making noise, especially on a harder blow.
	If all else fails remove the string again and have a real good look
inside the agraffe.  The hole should be shaped like a inner tube with
a radius of about 1.5 mm or so.  If the shape is not cut right it will
be noisy because the termination of the string will be improper.
	THere could be a place where the string is touching the notching on
the bridge or it could be touching a hitch pin below or it may not be
touching the front bridge pin.  Check that the string is firmly seated
on the plate where it goes around the hitch pin.
	If the bridge pin is very loose in it's hole it will cause odd noises
and if the string is not quite touching the bridge you will get
noise.  Check that the string from the back bridge pin to the aliquot
of the hitch pin is not causing the problem.
	A loose screw on the plate, the damper action or a case part can
cause such a noise.  Check them all for tightness, even the plate
screws and the nose bolts.
	Pushing, touching, pulling or any other movement may cause the noise
to change or go away.  Now all you have to do is figure out where it
is coming from and why.  Once you understand why a  solution will be
obvious even if it means sliding a new piano under the lid.
	The source of a noise can be from ANYTHING in the room.  Have someone
else play the note while you walk around listening for the source of
the noise.
	If these are not the answers then we will have to look further
afield.
	Let me know how much hair you have left when you find the problem.
			Newton