SD-10 Problem

[Bdshull@AOL.COM]

Hi, Kevin,

There may be two related problems here.  Any piano used for performance or 
heavy practice use will develop string deterioration.  The treble wire 
flattens on the front termination bar. This can develop in just a few years 
on a new performance piano.  It happens on the older Yamahas, Baldwins, 
Steinways with any regular, solid playing.

The first rendition of the SD-10 had a capo design with the termination bars 
which further exacerbated the problem because a its superhard surfaces.  The 
later SD-10 had a front termination bar which was redesigned in several wys, 
with individual sections per string, I believe, and a duplex tuning which was 
finetuned to reduce extraneous frequencies (a la Conklin's theory about 
detuned duplex scaling).  The hardness was also changed to be less damaging 
to the string and increase the string's ability to "grab" the termination 
points, I believe.  Del can give you the real details on this.

I have successfully rotated the string around a few mm and dramatically 
improved the situation.  This should be done wholesale, even starting in the 
high agraffe section.  On a single run of string with two speaking lengths, 
turn back one pin and pull up the other to reposition the string on the 
termination points.  I was pleased to see this in a detailed article in a 
recent Journal.  It's a little ugly, but the trade-off is worth it.  Of 
course, if the piano was breaking strings too, it is definitely time for new 
wire.  Hope this staves of the Grim Reaper a little longer -

We miss you in the Pomona Valley Chapter!

Bill Shull, RPT

In a message dated 10/24/00 10:57:44 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
ramsey@extremezone.com writes:

<< I serviced a SD-10 Baldwin concert grand today, and I found something
 really strange. I hadn't really noticed before, but when I got to the top
 two sections, the tone was really, really jangley. I said "what is going on
 here??"  Upon closer scrutiny, I noticed that the waste sections of wire
 between the individual capo thingees and the tuning pins had nothing more
 than bushing cloth underneath them. The problem with this is that the capo
 thingees leave the wire about 3mm above the plate, therefore, the waste ends
 were just ringing horribly. I mean, I've heard of the "Angels of Steinway
 singing along", but these sounded more like the bells of Hell clanging
 behind the Grim Reaper. This is the best piano that Baldwin produces; is
 this what they intended when they built it?
         What am I missing here? Does tuning include restringing and
 installing felt? Is this the best that we as Americans can produce?
 Kevin E. Ramsey, R.P.T.
 Phoenix, Arizona
 ramsey@extremezone.com >>