Bridge notching

[Maxpiano@AOL.COM]

I thought I had seen just about everything in my 45+ years of tuning.

Yesterday I looked at an old Steinway B that had been "rebuilt" on its 
odyssey from Illinois to Texas en route to SC.  I have never seen such "care" 
taken -- soundboard shims stained dark to look like inlay work.  Bridge 
recapped and screwed down with drywall screws (for insurance?).  Bridge 
notching very "even"-- about 1/32" away from the bridge pins.

I can't figure out why it's not buzzing all over the place, but the piano had 
a good sound with nary a "zing" from the extra wood in front of the pins.  
Some 23 years ago I was called to tune four new Baldwin 243 studios that a 
conference center had bought, and they had all kinds of buzzes from sloppy 
notching.  The pin driller and the notcher must have been playing "blind 
man's bluff."

The B customer called me to service the action (that part had been done by a 
different--good--technician).  I noted the notching problem and recommended 
leaving it until the buzzes show up.  I am not sure how I could re-notch 
effectively without pulling the plate (and restringing) since the plate is in 
the way of removing the pins at the plate struts.

How long before this beast starts "zinging?"  Any advice?  My simple 
"rocking" tool indicates a fair amount of bearing even in the "killer" 
octave.

Bill Maxim, RPT
Maxim Piano Service
Columbia, SC