[CAUT] Duplex scale noise, piano rebuilding

[William Schneider]

I agree with David's maxim ("We rebuild them to the specs that
Steinway meant to use but didn't..."). The way I explain it to musicians:
The Steinway design is like a great musical score; the execution of the
design is like a musical performance. A great score doesn't guarantee a
great performance...

Getting back, Ric, to strike line vs. duplex scale: I have found that
"macro" problems are often caused by the interaction of a number of "micro"
problems. Yes long duplex lengths at shallow angles (perhaps with burrs on
the capo) are prone to be noisy. Apart from buzzes, it's whatever that's
going on when the speaking length vibrates that gets the duplex going.
Putting more speaking length energy into the lower (relatively speaking)
consonant partials minimizes dissonances that may encourage bad tendencies
in the duplex. That is, it excites lower duplex frequencies at the expense
of the higher ones. Of course a well voiced hammer is essential too.

The correct hammer strike position is that which excites the fewest high
partials, and the biggest fundamental. To simplify a bit, you get the
brilliance back by hardening the hammer if necessary. The two types of
brilliance (wrong strike point vs. right with harder hammer) are not
equivalent. One is dissonant and misses an antinode, one is consonant and
ultimately louder. If you get more energy into a large speaking length
excursion, due to the antinode, the law of conservation of energy says
there's less energy left over for the duplex. (Who cares if this sort of
theorizing is really correct, the technique helps a lot.) Because of the
foreshortened nature of piano scales, the antinodes/nodes are actually
crowded closer together further down the scale, giving every opportunity for
a wrong hammer strike point.

Bill Schneider



-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Jim
Busby
Sent: Monday, November 20, 2006 12:09 PM
To: College and University Technicians
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Duplex scale noise, piano rebuilding

Hey Ric, Bill,

Chris Fingers, in Denver, made a statement about rebuilding that has
stuck with me. He said his rebuilt pianos cost MORE than a new piano
because if they just want a new B (for instance) they should go buy one.
But if they want something more, that Steinway can't offer, then that's
where his pianos come into the market. (Redesigned bridge, board, MOI
touch weighted, etc.) 

Ron made the unfortunate (but true) comment that rebuilders take these
older pianos and make them shine for LESS than the cost of new... (w/o
proper compensation).  Maybe Chris Fingers has a lesson for us. Somehow
his shop is doing well.

Then there are guys like David Hughes who made a comment about his
"restorations" which bears repeating. "We rebuild them to the specs that
Steinway meant to use but didn't..."

With today's need for more and more money as quickly as possible it
seems like less people are becoming true craftsman in any trade. Here in
Utah there are only two "rebuilders", Rick Baldassin and Vince Mrykalo,
but tons of "tooners" entering the business. As for me... I just want to
be like Ron and Vince when I grow up :-)

Jim Busby BYU


-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of
RicB
Sent: Friday, November 17, 2006 4:11 PM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: [CAUT] Duplex scale noise, piano rebuilding

Hi Bill

Thanks for the thoughts on the duplex thread.  I'd like to hear more 
along that line if you care to write about it.  I've not heard so much 
about the duplex as it relates to the strike line.

As far as the below.  I agree one hundred %.  In fact I would go so far 
as to say there is every reason to believe (and assume) that the 
absolute best overall qualitity one can expect is exactly from the small

one man rebuilding shop.  Mass production has by definition inherent 
limitations in this regard.

The problem from the public perspective has been and always will be how 
to find the right rebuilder.  Of a group of say 100 randomly picked 
rebuilders in the US... how many would you guess could out preform the 
best manufacturer ?  And how is the uninformed to find these few ?  Ok 
some customers will be able to isolate the best of the best as it 
were... but of all the pianos sold to the buying public as <<rebuilt>> 
my guess would be that the majority do not range up to the quality of 
the best manufacturers. So... those guys/ gals out there doing that 
class act work have a double disadvantage to work with relating to the 
market from the get go.  That is no doubt part of where the general 
skepticism towards rebuilt pianos comes from. 

Cheers
RicB


    About rebuilding, vs. buying new pianos: I agree with those who
think
    restoration is the way to go. Of course, real skill on the part of
the
    restorer is presumed. Inept rebuilding can be most unsuccessful and
    create
    skeptics. But it always strikes me that those techs who believe that
    new is
    always better don't give concrete technical reasons why that must be
so,
    rather it's always a gut feeling, probably based on hearing more
    nice new
    pianos, than nice rebuilt ones. If rebuilt pianos were necessarily
    inferior,
    I as a technician would really want to know howcome. This is not
    meant as a
    slap at anyone who is anywhere along the spectrum of experience,
just an
    invitation to one of the real joys of the profession. Detailed
    observation
    and deduction, along with good taste empower us.

     

    Bill Schneider

    Michigan State University School of Music