Tuning problems: capo improvement suggestions

Ron Overs sec@overspianos.com.au
Mon, 27 Jan 2003 01:36:44 +1100


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At 10:34 AM -0600 25/1/03, Ron Nossaman wrote:


>I think that half agraffes instead of a V bar are a good idea.

Indeed, as Bl=FCthner have used for many years.

>Now I have a question. If string cutting of iron V bars is such a 
>horrible problem, why isn't it such a horrible problem in agraffes?

I think it is Ron, but the symptom (string noise) as it appears in 
the capo-with-front-duplex sections doesn't present to the same 
degree in the agraffed section, since the (usually) shorter free 
string length between the agraffe and the bearing felt or bearing bar 
reduces the ability for string noise to develop. Mind you, many 
agraffes do present with a slight 'zing' which is directly 
attributable to poorly shaped or deformed string holes.

Notice that upright pianos are far less subject to string noise, yet 
the V bars in many cases are quite poorly shaped. Furthermore, the 
pressure bar is often of a quite large radius also. Nevertheless the 
shorter free length between the V bar and pressure bar tends to 
control string noise.

In 1995 I rebuilt a Grotrian 275 to original spec. The exceedingly 
long free string length between the agraffes and the bearing bar 
allowed the piano to produce unacceptable string noise. As a 
post-rebuild fix for this piano I manufactured and fitted an overhead 
pressure bar similar to what one would find on an upright piano. 
After some experimentation with position I found the 'most open' tone 
to occur when the bar was placed about 20 mm from the agraffe line. 
The tonal improvement of this piano with the pressure bar was nothing 
short of dramatic.

Those of you who saw our no. 003 piano at Reno, will now understand 
why we manufactured and fitted an overhead pressure bar behind the 
agraffe line. For those of who didn't see it, an overhead image which 
shows the pressure bar can be seen at;
http://overspianos.com.au/OS003.html

I don't regard the bar itself to be a critical factor, but when 
someone else designed the plate you are using (and that someone 
designed the plate such that the bearing felt was too far away from 
the agraffe), it becomes necessary to add a bar to achieve the 
shorter string free length.

Ron O

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