Remedial string leveling

Andrew and Rebeca Anderson anrebe@sbcglobal.net
Wed, 19 Oct 2005 20:52:12 -0500


Barbara,
OK, on this popular university make with the agraffes that don't have 
level holes, I did get them as close as possible but not perfect.  I 
had used a strate-mate to lift all the strings and won't use it at 
agraffes anymore.  On several of those durned agraffes I wonder if 
level is possible.  It would be nice not to have apostrophes...

Andrew

At 08:37 PM 10/19/2005, you wrote:
>Andrew, Ric,
>
>What it is about for me, is to be able to get a good voicing that includes
>the una corda.
>
>Who is indiscriminately lifting?  What would be the purpose in that?  My aim
>is to get the things as level as possible.  Of course, if a string doesn't
>move to where I want using a light pull, I'll try harder.  It works--most
>of the time, that is.  But, I don't find it easy.  Perhaps a hard pull for
>some is a lighter for others?  Is that so unbelievable?
>
>OK, Phil, maybe it is time to join the gym....and those who wrote me
>privately complaining of the same thing--I'll see you there.  ;-)
>
>Barbara Richmond, RPT
>
>
>----- Original Message ----- From: "Andrew and Rebeca Anderson" 
><anrebe@sbcglobal.net>
>To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
>Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2005 7:01 PM
>Subject: Re: Remedial string leveling
>
>
>>Ric, Barbara,
>>I was wondering about this too.  I routinely lift the strings with the
>>strate-mate on both sides of the capo.  Gets rid of a lot of noise.  But
>>pulling really hard seems to be more about noise than leveling.  If you
>>are pulling hard, have you already lifted the strings and got some higher
>>than others?
>>
>>At some point, lifting/leveling at the capo is enough and the problem is
>>about the condition of the termination.  Ie. getting under there with a
>>dremel and stone, or a file (saintly patience required) and getting rid of
>>cut-up material.
>>
>>Is this what it is about?
>>
>>I find that some agraffes on a popular make don't have holes all nicely
>>lined up in a row.  Real nuisance for leveling to make a damper perform
>>better.  In this case it is better to level and not indiscriminately lift.
>>
>>Andrew
>>
>>
>>At 12:16 PM 10/19/2005, you wrote:
>>>Hi Barbara
>>>
>>>Takk for sist as they say over here !
>>>
>>>I read your post with interest and it seemed to me your greatest concern
>>>was not getting enough leverage to pull / push up on the strings.  If this
>>>is the case I would like to hear a discussion about just how much force
>>>people are using to accomplish string leveling.  I have always used
>>>minimal force in doing this job, not wanting to over stress the brass
>>>holes in the agraffes, nor cause any undo wear on the capo.  As such, I
>>>use Joe Gosses version of the string leveling tool (making sure the piano
>>>is reasonably level to begin with) and lift only what I absolutely have to
>>>on the first pass.  I dont do broadband string lifting in the expectation
>>>of getting rid of some string noises. Rather I wait to hear what I have
>>>and if I need to minimize some string noise then I may try some additional
>>>lifting for whatever unisons are affected.
>>>
>>>btw.. I mention the bit about getting the piano in level first because I
>>>watched a fellow use this tool not so long ago and he had gotten all done
>>>and started mating hammers to strings and noticed that he had to
>>>individually file almost all his hammers so the left side was higher then
>>>the other.  When I asked him whether he'd leveled his piano first or not
>>>he seemed to think it was not necessary ... because the hammers would "of
>>>course be automatically tilted with the piano"... grin.. I had to giggle a
>>>bit despite myself.
>>>Cheers
>>>RicB
>>>
>>>_______________________________________________
>>>pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
>>
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives



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