[CAUT] Baldwin SD

[David Love]

There are a few things you can try.  First, determine if the sound is being
made by each string in the unison or just one.  Then, determine if the sound
isn't coming from the bridge.  Measure the downbearing front and rear, if
possible.  Take the strings down in tension and inspect the bridge top
paying special attention to the groove/bridge pin relationship.  See if the
groove doesn't extend beyond the pin line.  Secure the bridge pin with CA if
necessary.  Cut a square of cardstock (say from a manilla folder) and insert
it under the strings on the bridge top covering the area between the bridge
pins to change the height of the strings just slightly.  Pull up to tension
and test again.  If it still makes the same noise determine if the sound
might be coming from the back of the agraffe.  Cut a small piece of pinblock
material or short piece of thick wire from a coathanger or a wire mute
handle and insert it underneath the strings behind the agraffe to change the
counterbearing angle just slightly.  Pull up the tension and try again.  If
the sound is still there (or if it isn't) then take the strings off the
tuning pins pull, straighten the wire and pull it through the agraffe.  Take
out the agraffe and replace it with a new one that's been reamed and
polished.  Replace the strings and hope.  If that doesn't work, find a place
to go have a beer.  

David Love
davidlovepianos at comcast.net 

-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Avery
Todd
Sent: Sunday, April 02, 2006 7:41 AM
To: College and University Technicians
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Baldwin SD

Keith & Susan,

I warned you that sounds are hard to describe in an e-mail!
I obviously didn't do a good enough job of it. :-)

I've heard the sound(s) that both of you are describing and
this isn't that.

It's not a rattling or buzzing kind of sound. It's more of a
distorted sound where about half the normal power of the string
is lost & it just sounds weird. Like I said in my original post,
I'll just bet there's some grooving of some kind inside the
agraffe holes and thereby creating a termination problem.

I wish I'd thought of the screwdriver thing while I was there
just to confirm that the problem is in the agraffes.

Someone on pianotech mentioned a Journal article about refurbishing
agraffes written by Paul Revnko-Jones (I know it's misspelled. Sorry)
That's probably what it's going to take to fix the problem. Or replacing.

Would anyone happen to know the month of the article?

Thanks.

Avery Todd

At 11:15 AM 4/1/2006, you wrote:
>I just had that same problem on an SD 6.
>
>I looked for the paper clip on the board, tightened plate screws (which
>helped the sound) and scratched my head and tightened every screw. Mid
range
>sounded awful. I mated hammers to string, seated strings, etc.
>
>It was the sostenuto rod clips. Them things were rattlin to beat all get
>out. Should have been the first thing I tightened, they are right out
front,
>highly visible.......
>
>Sigh
>Keith