Rebuilding for Performance or Show? changes

[Isaac OLEG]

Examples of changes that are useful and that don't change the basic
setup :

Installing drop screws in place of the "T" screw find on some brands
(Pleyel)
replacing the flanges with individual centers and not a long center
for 20 hammers - changing the hammer rail as well.
Installing modern rollers for old knuckles on grands.

Evening the weight and drilling the hammers to respect a good geometry
in regard of strings height.
Better dampers and dampers system.
Have the keybed  covered with thick veneer to lessen the capstan /
whippen heel height.

Others coming to mind later.


Best Regards.


Isaac OLEG

Entretien et réparation de pianos.

PianoTech
17 rue de Choisy
94400 VITRY sur SEINE
FRANCE
tel : 033 01 47 18 06 98
fax : 033 01 47 18 06 90
cell: 06 60 42 58 77

> -----Message d'origine-----
> De : pianotech-bounces@ptg.org
> [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org]De la
> part de Farrell
> Envoyé : jeudi 17 avril 2003 14:43
> À : pianotech@ptg.org
> Objet : Rebuilding for Performance or Show?
>
>
> I have a few thoughts that I have had rambling through my
> head regarding the issue of rebuilding a piano with no
> design/materials changes, or feeling free to make some changes.
>
> Many of us like the use the analogy of the automobile to
> explain some piano concepts. I find many of these analogies
> useful. This is another one. I can do the same thing with
> boats, but lets use the car example here.
>
> Let's say you have a high performance automobile: 1969
> Camaro Z-28 - pretty much all original, but its got 200,000
> miles on it and is very worn out. You want to fix it up,
> you have money to spend, and you want to do it right.
>
> The '69 Z-28 was the fastest (acceleration in the 1/4 mile
> - about 13 seconds flat) US production car ever made.
> Obviously, a high performance car - not even any stock
> Corvette could beat it at the dragstrip. It also can have
> good show value. Tons of Camaro clubs all over the US.
>
> You have two paths to pursue.
>
> One is oriented to making the car a show-type car. The
> steps are obvious. Keep it all original and simply replace
> or recondition all parts to like-new and do all the adjustments.
>
> The other approach would be to aim at the performance of
> the vehicle. Without going into details, there is a whole
> range of improvements/modifications that can be done to the
> motor, drive train, suspension, etc. to vastly improve its
> performance.
>
> You want to know how many top, top, top knowledgeable,
> experience engineers worked to design the '69 Z-28? Lots of
> them. Did they know what they were doing? You bet. They
> were tops. Can I improve upon their work. You bet! Doesn't
> mean I know more than them however, by any means.
>
> I think also when you consider that the piano has not
> changed much over more than 100 years, logic would have it
> that there is going to be room for improvement.
>
> I guess my point is that IMHO the only reason to rigidly
> stick to a "reproduce exactly like original" plan is if you
> are doing the work for a museum or some type of showpiece
> where originality is specifically the goal. If performance
> is the goal - and I would argue that it is most of the time
> (or should be) - then one would likely benefit to keeping
> an open mind to incorporating changes as one is able and
> confident of the outcome.
>
> OK, bombs away! Let me have it!
>
> Terry Farrell
>
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