v-bar/capo repair (filing compared)

[Mark Bolsius]

Hi Barabara,

 

That light coloured stuff either side of the grey is probably filler,
sprayed on to the plate to smooth over the surface. The grey is the actual
iron, so if your strings are in contact with the filler, you'll definitely
have some tonal issues.

 

It should file away quite easily exposing the cast iron - then you can have
a good look at the profile of the bar and shape it accordingly.

 

Good luck

Mark Bolsius

Bolsius Piano Services 

Canberra Australia

  _____  

From: Barbara Richmond [mailto:piano57 at insightbb.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, 22 March 2006 11:06 AM
To: Pianotech
Subject: Fw: v-bar/capo repair (filing compared)

 

Hi all,

 

Back to my picture of the Seiler capo/v-bar.  I'm sorry if I'm sounding like
a broken record, but I would like to hear of your filing experience.

 

I've never been one to look much at the capo/v-bar on grands, so I'm not
familiar with the different "styles" out there.  This Seiler is a different
design than Steinway.  I took at look at a Kawai GS-40 I worked on last week
and it has the same set-up or one very similar to the Seiler.  Am I correct
in assuming that the gray "hump" is the only hardened part?  I see the
lighter & what looks like a flat surface from which the gray part protrudes.
It seems odd to see two such different surfaces like that--well, I guess
strange, compared to the sort of all-in-one Steinway set up.   

 

In the picture, the area where the first string is located doesn't look very
impressive to me (uneven, less gray, more light colored surface), which I
find troubling.  

 

In general, it seems to me to get a good v-shape, I would need to grind off
the edge of the light colored surface (is there potential harm in doing
that?)--or do you just work with the small gray surface and leave the light
colored surface alone?  It seems like it would be difficult to only work on
the gray--but I could be mistaken since I haven't gotten my grimy little
hands on it yet.    

 

I had a go at some capo filing yesterday (on a different piano),  just to
get some practice.  Well, that certainly is work!   

 

One reason I am exploring this avenue, is my customer is rather picky and
would prefer it if I didn't use "add-ons" (like pitch-locks--I practiced
using those yesterday, too).  I would be more inclined to use the brass half
round or half oval (of which I now have a nice selection), because IMO, it
would look less like--"see, there's a problem here!"   I will end up doing
whatever it takes, but I would like him to be pleased, if possible.

 

Thanks,

 

Barbara Richmond, RPT

near Peoria, IL

 

 

 

 

 

 

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