<HTML> <HEAD> <TITLE>Re: [CAUT] Killer half-octave</TITLE> </HEAD> <BODY> David,     I assume you’ve tried super diligence for just those weak notes on everything action, hammer, restringing, and bridge pin, tone bell, to mask this soundboard weak spot.       Warning Evil improper and surely controversial tricks ahead that might help:  Tune as many rear duplexes found in the tenor and mid-range as can be tuned to the exact pitches of the weak killer octave notes using Pitchlock couplers or by adding weight to the string segments thus bringing their pitches down.  Phase out dampers by making top few dampers work poorer and poorer until the top one is almost as bad as no damper.   For weak notes only: Increase stiffness of the shanks by painting them with thin CA glue.   Increase the blow distance and keydip slightly for more power.  Add graduated and even weight to hammers using flexible blobs of glue hidden in the coves and a have tighter center pining and tighter rep springs.   Don’t be too diligent on power producing things in other areas of the piano but super diligent for those weak notes.     Replace just those seven hammers/shanks with whatever hammers  produce most power and voice to match, even if it looks ugly.       -Mike Jorgensen     On 5/16/07 8:47 AM, "Porritt, David" <dporritt@mail.smu.edu> wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE>Esteemed colleagues:   Our NY D, (1983) has developed – in the last year or so – a killer half-octave from about A#5 – E6.  I’ve added some mass to the bridge right under C6 and that helped a little but the problem remains.  I’ve been searching through the archives this morning checking for any further heroic measures I could take within the confines of my budget.     What’s the general consensus of opinion about the “Treble Tone Resonator” that Pianotek sells?  While my current budget precludes a full remanufacturing I think I can manage the $155.00 for that!  However, I don’t want to spend even that  – nor expend the time installing it  – if it wouldn’t help.     Any ideas, suggestions, experience with it etc.?????   dave   __________________________________ David M. Porritt, RPT Meadows School of the Arts Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX 75275 dporritt@smu.edu   </BLOCKQUOTE> </BODY> </HTML>