Mother goose string leveler

[Conrad Hoffsommer]

At 10:13 PM 9/12/2005 -0400, you wrote:
>  To all level headed tech's
>  I have been using Joe's slick little tool for a while now & It has taken 
> the archaic out of the mundane job of string leveling. It tells an 
> accurate story right off the git go. However it's wise to see if 
> the  keybed/piano are truly level first & if not get them into 
> compliance. I use a long aluminum  bubble level when in shop. In the 
> field a put the gauge on the stretcher or keybed as quick references.
>  I've noticed it is important to put the device as close to the striking 
> spot on the string for accuracy as  it is level strings at the hammer 
> strike point I want. It's also important to make sure it sits squarely on 
> the unison & not sitting off to one side or the other as the weight of 
> the gauge will depress a string to sit lower due to its own weight giving 
> a false reading.
>   I usually place the gauge on the unison & lift the lowest outside 
> string  string first then the other outside string then the middle till 
> the bubble in the gauge centers. Then work in the middle one. With this 
> gauge It's real obvious when the middle string is to high as gauge kind 
> of quivers for a lengthy period of time ,rocking on the high middle string.
>  Although my finger & eyes are quit good at roughing things in  the fine 
> stuff is  way easier to dial in with the gauge. It doesn't lie or give 
> subjective readings.
>   It's fun  Joe thanks. Anybody else discover this little Jem?
>  Dale Erwin
>
>Erwins Pianos Restorations


Yup! Luv it! Had it for a while, too.

I, too, put it on the piano to get a "baseline" reading, but I don't try to 
level the piano... Too weak, too lazy and too many things to carry around 
to get the tricycle level.

Just like listening to a false beat and then taking it's beat rate into 
consideration when doing the unison, I make a mental note of how far off 
the bubble is and set the strings to that. My mental notebook is like beach 
sand and gets erased with the first wave/distraction, but it's quick and 
easy to just recheck it. [Lonely braincell has retention span problems...]




Conrad Hoffsommer
I tried to get a life once, but they were all out of stock.