[pianotech] on the level

[Joe And Penny Goss]

Hi Folks,
In 1997 after seeing and hearing Rick Baldassin use the Fazioli level and
learning that to get one one had to go to Italy to get one by attending a
Fazioli seminar, We decided to designed our first string level.
In our Idaho area the brass H channel that Fazioli uses was not readily
available so other materials were used.

1/4" U channel aluminum 1/2" x 1/8" square plate for a foot and a bubble
vial special order from our local hardware store.
Ten of these were made and these I took to the Orlando national seminar
where all were sold.

I well remember asking Norm Neblett who was teaching string leveling to try
my new design.
Norm placed the level on the string that he was working on and gently
plucked.
The level went sailing across the strings almost to be lost in the action
cavity.
I felt a little like the old comic strip charicter there the light bulb
comes on.

The next level needed to be a lot heavier but not too large and heavy so as
to displace the string
and give a poor reading. We decided on 1/4" brass stock as the Vials
available to us at that time were 1/4"
This level is essentially the same design as the one we produce today with
two changes. The 9 mm bubble is now
inside the brass body and the white line down the middle and front and back
makes it easier to place the foot of the level so that it straddles the
unison equally.

I would like to find one of the originals.
If there is anyone who purchased one of the first levels and wants to trade
for one of the new models,
give me a call at 208 278 5257

Joe Goss RPT
Mother Goose Tools
imatunr at srvinet.com
www.mothergoosetools.com