Fw: Short Treble (sustain?)

Michael Gamble michael@gambles.fsnet.co.uk
Tue, 4 Nov 2003 21:58:26 -0000


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Re: Short Treble (sustain?)Hello Ron Overs
Why not see what response your observations get from Grotrian-Steinweg =
themselves? Do you mean Model 220? Or should it be Model 225? I have a =
superb 225 on my rounds and have been corresponding with Grotrian on the =
subject of a 10 year service/regulation. They have been most helpful. =
Write to: Burkhard Kaemmerling at: kaemmerling@grotrian.de=20
Regards
Michael G (UK)
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Overs Pianos=20
To: Pianotech=20
Cc: Alf Reichardt=20
Sent: Monday, November 03, 2003 10:21 PM
Subject: Re: Short Treble (sustain?)


Del, Ron N. and all,


The string buzzing on the side of the agraffe slot is most certainly the =
problem. Earlier in my career I recapped the failed bridges on a =
Grotrian 220. Since the owner was travelling to Germany on business, =
when he visited the factory they sold him a replacement treble bridge =
cap. Unfortunately, the new bridge cap was afflicted with the same =
'disease' which was common to '70s era Grotrians (I have no idea if it =
remains a problem with their contemporary instruments). However, the =
bridge pin spacing was so close that there was virtually no free space =
between the string and the adjacent bridge pin. Consequently, there =
remain several notes on my client's Grotrian 220 which have string noise =
at the bridge pins (which varies in intensity according to the relative =
humidity at the time). A gentle side pressure on an offending bridge pin =
will stop the noise.


These Grotrian bridges from the '70s are prone to failure on account of =
the close bridge pin spacing. There is simply insufficient bridge wood =
around the pins to provide adequate support for the side thrust on the =
pins. On Grotrians from earlier periods they have used a wider bridge =
pin spacing and they do not have the same problem. Isn't it amazing how =
corporate knowledge often fails to be passed down from one generation to =
another? The 'Johnny come latelys' turn up with new thinking but fail =
give appropriate consideration to lessons learned long ago by an older =
generation of thinkers. I'm all for innovative technologies, but one =
should come to it after stepping off from the knowledge which has gone =
before.


Clearly, the idea of placing a damping material on a noisy string =
segment (wether it be new-age silicon as in the case of the Stuart =
agraffe, a piece of felt or a lump of fat from under the barbecue), its =
still is just a case of fixing the symptom instead of addressing the =
cause of the disease.


The bridge agraffe we have been discussing is a case in point. It simply =
wasn't thought through prior to execution. I concur with your views Ron =
N. and Del, with regard to widening the slots and using rolled pins as a =
solution. Less overall height would be a plus as well. As you and I have =
both mentioned previously Ron N., it would allow for the retention of a =
more sensible bridge height and stiffness.


Ron O.


  ----- Original Message -----
  From: "Ron Nossaman" <RNossaman@cox.net>
  To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
  Sent: November 01, 2003 8:23 PM
  Subject: Re: Short Treble (sustain?)


  I suspect the problem is with the string buzzing against the side of =
the
  slot.


  Del


   Perhaps, though I have a hard time imagining much vibration excursion =
in
   that short segment. At that, how difficult or more expensive is a =
wider
   slot, as long as you're cutting one anyway? It's not like it will =
cost
   anything important in rigidity. A grooved center rod would help too,
  though
   it would cost a bit more to produce.


   Ron N


  -------------

  As do I. I did think it a possibility, though, as I worked with =
similar
  devices at Baldwin. The easiest way to solve the problem (if it =
exists)
  (and, other than putting some damping material between the leading
  termination and the center deflector rod) is, as you suggest, to =
groove the
  center rod. This could be rolled and, in quantity, is not as expensive =
as
  you might think. In limited quantities, however, it might well be a =
factor.
  This can be used to solve another problem as well -- the varying =
string
  deflection angles as the wire size changes. I played around with =
several
  groove depths, deeper in the low tenor and bass, more shallow in the
  tenor/treble.

  Del


--=20
OVERS PIANOS - SYDNEY
   Grand Piano Manufacturers
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