[CAUT] WNG parts

[Brent Fischer]

Chris, the Mason and Hamlin tension resonator is more likely what you areexperiencing here.  As you know it is installed and tightened before the outerrim is glued on and even at that point there is a noticeable sustain just whacking the center disc. With the plate out and giving the board a thumpit is quite remarkable how the resonater supports soundboard sustain.I know nothing about the possible benefits of these shanks for tone productionbut it could be a case of STI. (shank tonal imprint)

--- On Thu, 9/9/10, Chris Solliday <chris at csollidaypiano.com> wrote:

From: Chris Solliday <chris at csollidaypiano.com>
Subject: [CAUT] WNG parts
To: caut at ptg.org
Date: Thursday, September 9, 2010, 3:13 PM




 
 






 



I too am in the process of restoring a M&H BB using WNG
parts. It discussion has been most interesting and I thank everyone for
answering many of my questions before they were asked. I played the CC at Las
Vegas this summer and was very impressed the touch and its evenness. I was,
however, literally frightened by the tone quality. At first I thought that it
was amplified and I asked Bruce to turn it off. He assured me that it wasn’t
and that if I kept playing I would get used to “it.” To some degree
I did but I really felt like I would like an hour or two alone in a quiet room
to really warm up to something so atypical. The sound is HOT. The sustain is
long and it begins at a level that seems higher sooner. I still haven’t
got exactly the right description for it but it is definitely different than
most anything else (read, wooden shanks). My fear is that the pianist that I am
working for will also be frightened. This piano is in his teaching studio and
then he and the students go to the recital hall where there is a Bosendorfer
and a Steinway for their concerts. I’m worried that even if they do like
or get used to the WNG shanks tonal production, they may find practicing on it
and then shifting gears to the more conventional tone of the other pianos too
much of a jump. I haven’t drilled the hammers yet and have a set of
wooden ones which I bought just in case. The design and material choice of
these parts seems revolutionary in terms of stability and weight control, to me
at least, and I really want them to work. I notice that Kawai with their entry
hasn’t gone to the shanks with plastic, perhaps for the reasons that I
fear. Does anyone have any experience with this aspect yet? Or opinions? Oh I
know there are opinions out there! I’m askin’ for it. 

Thanks, 

Chris Solliday   



 





      
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