Del: It would certainly be interesting to hear one of these "B's", I understand the National Convention next summer will have a showcase of rebuilders work, any chance you will bring one of these instruments for people to hear? Rob Edwardsen Delwin D Fandrich wrote: > Avery Todd wrote: > > > Del, > > > > SNIP > > > > Any chance you could elaborate any on this? > > > > (Inside joke. "Killer B" is what we privately call our Model B conversion.) > > > > Avery > > > > ___________________________ > > Avery Todd, RPT > > Moores School of Music > > University of Houston > > Houston, TX 77204-4893 > > 713-743-3226 > > atodd@uh.edu > > http://www.uh.edu/music/ > > Avery, > > This is a high performance conversion of the Model B grand. We start with a B of any age and strip it down to the bare rim > and framework. We install several additional rim/belly braces and a structural soundboard cut-off bar. I have designed a new > soundboard and rib scale along with a somewhat different method of bellying the board than the process that has been > traditionally used. I have also designed a new tenor/treble bridge and a new stringing scale to go with it. The bass string > scale is also modified. We modify the plate a bit to remove the tuned aliquot design and improve string termination and > remove the miscellaneous string buzzes and whistles. The action is left alone except for normal rebuilding/remanufacturing > work. If it is old and worn, all parts are replaced with the appropriate new Renner parts. If we're working on a newer piano > we check the action geometry and do whatever is necessary. Hammers are either Steinway or Issacs. Everything else is much too > hard. Even these have to be needled, sometimes through C-88. > > The result is a piano with a much cleaner and articulate bass section, a much smoother (nearly invisible) bass/tenor break, a > much more articulate upper tenor/treble section with both more power and longer sustain (I'm working on ways to put several > additional dampers in the piano -- it needs them) and a much brighter and cleaner treble section. Again, with no lacquer in > the hammers. Not even at the top. (It's not that I'm so opposed to lacquer in hammers, it's just that it's not necessary.) > > I hope that answers your question. If you would like more details, send my your mailing address and I'll send you a copy of > our newsletter. > > Regards, > > Del
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