Bridge notching

[Alan R. Barnard]

Question: Doesn't that change the termination point and affect the scaling?
If so, do you notice anything in the tuning?

Just wondering (wandering?)

Alan Barnard

----- Original Message -----
From: <Maxpiano@AOL.COM>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Wednesday, August 21, 2002 6:22 AM
Subject: Bridge notching


> 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
>