String Voicing Problems

[Lance Lafargue]

Dear List,
This is a continuation of my earlier post on string voicing:
I tuned one of the nicest pianos in my customer base today.  A 7 foot
Bosendorfer.  There were almost no false beats or the noise I described
earlier.  I looked the piano over closely to see what was dramatically
different.  1) all single ties in plain wire 2)the notching on the bridge
was VERY consistent... the notch was such that about 25% of the pin was not
past the end of the notch - in other words - the string terminated against
the pin ONLY and the notch ended above where the string met the pin so
there is no chance of the string vibrating against the wood!  (It's hard to
put this into words-I wish I could draw you an e-mail). I suspect that
consistency and the handling of the wire as it was strung had a tremendous
effect.  Any ideas??
Lance Lafargue, RPT
New Orleans Chapter
Covington, LA.
lafargue@iamerica.net

----------
> From: Lance Lafargue <lafargue@iAmerica.net>
> To: Pianotech Listserve <pianotech@byu.edu>
> Subject: String Voicing Problems
> Date: Monday, April 28, 1997 9:44 PM
>
>
> 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