Strike Point

[Willem Blees]

Del

It was the?tech man?at Baldwin who me told that. (I can't remember his name, but was a very popular instructor at seminars and conventions)? And maybe he said?said 1/17". In any case, I agree with you, Del, that the srike point is difficult to measure, and needs to be heard, rather than measured. ?


Wim

-----Original Message-----
From: Delwin D Fandrich <fandrich at pianobuilders.com>
To: 'Pianotech List' <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Sat, 3 May 2008 8:42 am
Subject: RE: Strike Point




At C-88? You won't find any piano with a C-88 strike point of 1/7. There has never been any absolute consensus on the strike point along the C-88 strings but it is usually given as somewhere between 1/12 and 1/20. The reason for the variation is due primarily to the difficulty of measuring the strike point precisely. Given a 50 mm speaking length a strike point of 1/12 is approximately 4.2 mm back from the termination while a strike point of 1/20 is 2.5 mm back. A difference of only 1.7 mm. Given the shape and texture of the hammer it is pretty difficult to measure this point with any degree of accuracy. It's easy to do on paper or in the computer; less so in the real world. Hence the adjustable key end plates found in the grand piano.

?

A strike point of 1/7 would be about 7.1 mm back, by the way. 

?

Del



From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Willem Blees
Sent: May 02, 2008 11:28 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: Strike Point




Matthew

I leaned early on that the strike point of note 88 is at one seventh of the length of the string. But sometimes that is not the ideal strike point. You might need to?adjust the strike point?to get the best tone out of the piano. On a grand, move the action in and out until G or A gives you the best sound. Then?adjust the rest of the hammers to equal the sound. Of course that might mean doing some voicing on those notes. On an upright, you can heat the shanks and bend each?hammer?until you get a good tone, again making sure it isn't a voicing problem.? 


Willem (Wim) Blees, RPT
Piano Tuner/Technician
Honolulu, HI
Author of 
The Business of Piano Tuning
available from Potter Press
www.pianotuning.com


-----Original Message-----
From: Matthew Todd <toddpianoworks at att.net>
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Sent: Fri, 2 May 2008 5:36 pm
Subject: Strike Point



Good evening,

?

I've noticed in?most of?the regulating manuals I've read, that they recommend the strike point of C-88 to be about 1/8''.? Almost all the pianos I have come to, the strike point is not 1/8''.? Most of the time, the strike point is just below the V-bar, barely a 1/16'' in most cases.? I have never dealt with this issue before because I seem to have an issue with it. If I were to adjust the strike to an 1/8'', the hammers in the treble end would be off of the rest rail.? The action would be sort of slanted.

?

Do you all mess with this issue or not?

?

Matthew


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