Do string covers affect tone?

[David Love]

I have not found a difference of any real significance unless, of course,
the felt is touching the strings.  

David Love
davidlovepianos@comcast.net 

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Wally Scherer
Sent: Monday, October 10, 2005 9:49 AM
To: pt
Subject: Do string covers affect tone?

When asked by customers if a string cover will affect
the tone, I usually reply, "not significantly".

However, I just ran across this post on the Piano
World's forum, which I am sharing for informational
purposes.

Here it is:
-----------------------------------------------------
Yes it does change the sound. I have gone back and
forth between using the cover and leaving it off.

For me it changed the sound in an unexpected way. I
knew that it would make the upper part of the scale
more mellow but I didn't know it would have such a
dramatic effect on the bass. After all, bass
frequencies penetrate almost anything. With the cover
on, my Walter seems to have a lot less punch in the
bass. My theory about this is that higher harmonics
are responsible for much of the perceived "attack" and
percussiveness of the bass notes. The heavy wool
flannel of the Edwards cover filters these higher
frequency overtones to a significant degree and that
changes the character of the bass notes.

I like the cover and I make sure it is on when the
humidity spikes up. Often I appreciate the attenuated
high frequencies when my ears are tired. But when I
really want to hear my instrument at its best,
particularly the bass, I take the darn thing off. The
bass won't growl on my piano with the cover on.

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

Wallace T. Scherer, Piano Technician, Music Educator
Piano Tuning & Repairs, Piano Lessons, Edwards String Covers
P.O. Box 4121, Lantana, Florida, 33465
Phone: 561-432-4121
Web page: http://www.angelfire.com/biz6/afinetune


		
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