Don Mannino wrote: > > Ed, > > I have never heard a small, almost invisible or hidden crack make a > sound all through the bass that sounds like a rattle. A crack or small > separation will buzz, but not rattle. > > A large separation will rattle, but it would be obvious. > > The way you described it, this almost has to be something hidden on > the board, like a coin or marble or something heavy like that. > > Use a strong light and a dentist's mirror and look at the ENTIRE > soundboard. Don't stop looking until you are sure you have inspected > every square millimeter of the board. You will find something. Be sure > to look under the bridge loop (between bass and treble bridge section) > and under the bridge cutouts (if any - I haven't seen a B in a while) > for a coin. They are very hard to see. > > Don Mannino RPT Dear Ed and Don: I concur with Don Mannino advice on the soundboard troubles. Reminds me of the time I billed a neighboring city Dr and received no payment even after several statements. Some time later I visited with a good tuner/technician friend and happened to mention this non-payment to him. He then responded that he had not had any payment troubles with the Dr. AFTER he luckily bumped a safety pin from a hole in the grand's plate! (I certainly could have purchased quite a supply of pins with the tuning payment I did not receive.) Come to think of it, that was the last time I never received either a payment or reason for non payment in some twenty years work!! Thanks for listenin'. Clarence (Clancy) Stout R.P.T. Holyoke, Colorado > > ---------- > From: A440A@aol.com > Sent: Thursday, September 11, 1997 8:58 AM > To: pianotech@ptg.org > Subject: Foote Rattlers > > Greetings all, > Ummm , HELP!! > I have run into a soundboard rattle that I cannot squelch. It is > a > Steinway B, (Hamburg). and there is a buzz on all the bass notes. It > is > presently in a very high-dollar recording studio, so it absolutely has > to be > fixed. Here is what I know about it; > Light pressure on the board, under the cut-outs around the bend > between > bass and treble areas will stop it, but wedging a small wedge between > the > board and bridge here will not. > From under the piano, I can lightly tug on the lowest three ribs > and > hear a scrunch,scrunch sound which sounds like splintered wood. When > doing > this, the sound seems to come directly from the bridge. > There are not visible cracks or repairs on the board or bridge in this > area, > and the buzz seems to be somewhat humidity dependant. > So, shall I drill small holes from underneath, into the bottom of > the > bridge assembly, then fill with glue and hammer in shoe-plugs hoping > to force > glue into any opening inside this area? This is what I may try, > assuming > that there is a separation in the board, under the bridge. The edges > of the > board are tight, and there is no discernible separation between ribs > and > boards. The dowels all appear to be tight. > Ideas, anyone? > Thanks, > Ed Foote > Precision Piano Works > Nashville, Tn.
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