[pianotech] Capo Bars

[Dean May]

Young Chang started doing this in the mid 90s, don't know if they still do.
They used a brass rod instead of steel. Music wire on brass is self
lubricating.

Dean

Dean May             cell 812.239.3359 

PianoRebuilders.com   812.235.5272 

Terre Haute IN  47802

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Richard Brekne
Sent: Thursday, March 05, 2009 4:30 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Capo Bars

Good question... and I'm looking forward to reading the replies.  FTR, 
Bohemia pianos, a spinoff of Petrof after the splitup of Czechoslavakia 
actually did do this for a while... I'm unsure if they still do. They 
used some kind of bronze alloy I believe. Perhaps its a question of 
tooling and expense ?

RicB


    Why do manufacturers harden capo bars rather than cast (or grind)
    the underside of the strut flat, rout out a groove to receive a
    steel rod of proper radius, shape and hardness and insert it there
    where it could, when it's worn, be easily changed and where the
    consistency would be more easily controlled.  Is there a compelling
    reason not to do it that way?