v-bar/capo repair: Seiler pictures 1

[Ron Nossaman]

> Yesterday I was going to be very near this customers home, so I swung by 
> and got some pictures.  I should have mentioned earlier that though 
> muting the duplex helps, I also have to keep on top of the voicing.  I 
> didn't think much about the voicing since I have frequently found that 
> pianos that are approaching extremely bright sound will have the sizzle 
> and after voicing the sizzle isn't a problem.  The other reason I stay 
> on top of the hammer shape especially, is in the past this piano has had 
> a problem with breaking strings.

> I have tried pressing on the bridge pins, but it didn't seem to make any 
> difference--well, anyway it didn't help.  I haven't tried my vice-grips 
> on them though.  I had a bad CA glue day and used CA on the bridge 
> pins.  I'm really embarrassed about that picture--I'm usually more 
> successful at keeping it under control.   I would have checked the down 
> bearing, but was running errands and forgot to bring the tool case with 
> that gauge.  Duh.

Seems to me you have two problems. Duplex length, and too hard 
hammers. Loose bridge pins will cause false beats, but not the 
sizzle you're describing, so that's probably not a problem. 
The Vise-Grip mass load might still be worth trying.

Strange that my blurry vision doesn't cancel out the blurry 
photo, but if I squint just right it looks to me like the 
longest front duplex length is over 40mm. That's getting up in 
duplex noise country. The side view looks like a short half 
round of appropriate thickness could be tapped under the 
middle of that segment and be held by the plate. If so, that 
would stop the duplex noise. I suspect hard hammers as the 
likely cause of string breakage and most of the other noises, 
unless there's negative bearing there, or some such.

Not being able to listen, pluck, measure, and grab things in 
person, that's the best I can do and hope it helps.
Ron N