String Voicing Problems

[Les Smith]

Hi, Lance.

One thing you might want to check is the notching at the bridge. In
recent years Baldwin has been consistently sloppy about this and it
not uncommon to find a string just grazing the notch enough to make
the buzzing sound you describe. You can have a piano where this isn't
presnt and then the humidity goes up and suddenly you have several
strings buzzing. If you have one or two strings with this problem,
check them all. When I asked the local Baldwin dealer why this problem
was so common, his response was, "at least it's easy to fix."!

Les Smith
lessmith@buffnet.net

On Mon, 28 Apr 1997, Lance Lafargue wrote:

>
> Dearest List:
> 1.)I have often wondered (and have heard many opinions) on why the unisons
> at the tenor/treble break (on both sides of the plate strut) often have
> more buzzes and other string voicing -type problems than other strings.  I
> can never seem to get nice clear unisons perfect on those notes in
> particular.  WHY???
>
> 2.)Particularly on Baldwins from the 70's I find lots of string voicing
> problems i.e., buzzes, twangs, metallic sounding distortion, etc.  These
> pianos have the accu-just hitch pins. Often times I have tapped strings
> down on bridges (Oh no!  Don't start that thread again!!), renotched
> bridges, changed the downbearing, V'd the bar and smoothed it with a file,
> sandpaper, etc., pulled strings around the hitch pin to get new termination
> points at the bridge, tightened loose bridge pins, voiced hammers, muted
> the capo/non-speaking area....... All depending upon the sound and
> circumstances. I'm successful only PART of the time.  On these Baldwins in
> particular, I am seldom successful.
>
> I have a customer who sent an R back to the factory, paid the freight, for
> restringing and "repair" and got it back in the same condition.  You could
> still see the old string indentation marks on the v-bar from the first
> stringing. The piano is practically useless now, and she's a teacher!!!!  I
> have tried everything on this instrument and now I'm embarrassed when I
> show up to tune it, it sounds bad after all my efforts - even tuned!! There
> is particularly a metallic buzz from the tenor break - up.  Sounds like a
> tiny piece of metal is touching the strings!!  What am I not seeing?  What
> pattern have you seen with these??  Maybe I just need to perfect my above
> listed techniques.  What should I try first and when should I try it??
>
> I KNOW someone out there can help!!!!!!!!!! (please)
> Thanks in advance.
>
>
> Lance Lafargue, RPT
> New Orleans Chapter
> Covington, LA.
> lafargue@iamerica.net