[CAUT] Bechstein model B tuning stability

[David Ilvedson]

I remember Dan's article and the photo of the hammer.   Seems rather large...does it break down for transport?

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA  94044

----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: "Fred Sturm" <fssturm at unm.edu>
To: caut at ptg.org
Received: 10/18/2009 2:51:00 PM
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Bechstein model B tuning stability


>On Oct 18, 2009, at 11:07 AM, Ed Sutton wrote:

>> Fred-
>>
>> The point of Dan Levitan's over-the-stretcher lever is not to  
>> "eliminate flagpoling." The point is to eliminate unintentional  
>> flagpoling. You are free to control flagpoling in all directions,  
>> with or witout rotational forces.
>>
>> In a standard tuning lever, whenever you apply rotational force, you  
>> are also applying a certain amount of tilting force, proportional to  
>> the "rise" of the handle from the pin in the block, in the direction  
>> you are pushing the handle to rotate the pin.
>>
>> In Dan's over-the-stretcher lever, there is no rise, so if you  
>> rotate, you only rotate. But you are also free to tilt the pin in  
>> any direction, intentionally, not accidentally. It's not at odds  
>> with your approach, it's a more controllable version of your approach.
>>
>> Ed
>	OK, fair enough. I "eliminate" the undesired tilt from the equation  
>by using a 12 o'clock position (11 to 1, to be precise), meaning the  
>tilt is at very close to 90 degrees from the string, and has minimal  
>effect on the string. That works well for me. Dan's design is  
>intriguing, but would require a major re-learning of technique. Which  
>is not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes starting again from scratch  
>is a good way to leave bad habits behind. Dan's design also  
>essentially requires the hammer be in line with the string, for  
>geometrical reasons (though 6 o'clock instead of 12 for a grand). So  
>the technique would be the same - lean the pin towards or away from  
>the string for the given purpose.
>Regards,
>Fred Sturm
>University of New Mexico
>fssturm at unm.edu