Baldwin SF Grand and hazardous environment

Brian Trout btrout@desupernet.net
Sat, 4 Dec 1999 16:32:11 -0500


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Hi Doug,

Sorry to hear about an undesirable experience.  I've had a couple of =
similar experiences as well.  It's not fun working in an environment you =
find hostile to your well-being.

The sleds you referred to are interesting.  I don't have the official =
story on them, or an official name for that matter, but I know what =
you're talking about.  I tuned an SF-10 just yesterday morning.  This is =
only speculation from observation, but I would guess it was an attempt =
to design a precise front speaking duplex.  On the one I tuned, I did =
notice that the front duplexes were singing away, and very much in tune =
with the fundamental of the string.  I didn't take note if they changed =
intervals as I went up the scale.  I suspect that they do.  It seemed to =
provide a crispness to the top end that was more uniform in nature than =
just random duplex noise (just an opinion), but did not seem to work so =
well up through the top octave.  Up that far, the fundamental tone of =
the speaking length kind of gets lost amongst all of the other racket =
going on, at least on this particular piano.  If I recall correctly, =
they pretty much look the same upon first impression, but upon a closer =
look, they appear to be all different, and have their own special place =
in the layout of things.  I don't remember that they are numbered, but =
on a major repair I did on one a couple of years ago where it was all =
dismantled for plate refinishing, (just a small part of the job),  we =
were very careful to maintain them in their proper order and put them =
back accordingly.  It is indeed possible that one or more of those =
little Allen screws (the little buttons) holding them in place could be =
loose, I can't remember just how they go.  You mentioned that there was =
a string or two just barely 'zinging' on the heads of those screws.  You =
might be able to get to it from underneath with the action removed, and =
push aside the middle string far enough to get your little Allen wrench =
in there to tighten... that is if you can stand the cigarette smoke long =
enough to even pull the action...

I'm sure there could be a whole added discussion on the qualities of a =
duplex which are and are not desirable, tuning / mistuning, energy =
dissipation, etc... (and perhaps one will follow?).  But overall, I do =
find it interesting, and I do have to commend Baldwin for having tried =
new things such as the vertical hitch pins, the plate support system =
(sorry I can't think of the name?), and these little duplex 'sleds'. =20

What do you do when this person calls to schedule their next =
appointment?  It's your call.  I just hope you'll be able to be truthful =
without being mean (not that you would be...)  It may very well be that =
this person doesn't even realize that their house stinks and is =
offensive to others.  I suspect that this person would probably be a =
little hurt inside to find out that you were physically sickened by your =
visit with her.  Perhaps she does know, but hasn't dealt with the =
problems yet.  Either way, she's a person, and likely, at least on some =
level, has feelings of dignity and respect that could easily be trampled =
upon.  Our words have a big impact on those around us, especially at =
those vulnerable times of life.  I'll have to relate a few of those =
experiences some time.  A wise man once said, "Do unto others as you =
would have them do unto you."  Sometimes it's hard.  But it's worth it.


Best wishes,

Brian Trout
Quarryville, PA
btrout@desupernet.net
=20



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