Hammer Strike Line-Grand

[Richard Brekne]

Hi Gordon..

Sounds to me like you have pretty well established that the dead thudish 
sound has nothing to do with the strike line... yes ? That means 
something else in in the way. You could always try changeing a few 
strings and the like.. but I doubt that will make a lot of difference. 
You may just have a piano thats dead up there. No sustain points in the 
direction of a bridge/soundboard that simply sucks up all the strings 
energy and reflects none of it back. Could be a host of reasons for that 
being the case.....

One question... is the transition from Eb7 to E7 and above abrubt... or 
is is a bit smoothed ?

Cheers
RicB

Gordon Holley wrote:

> List.
>
> I’m experiencing a problem with the strike line for the last 10 notes 
> in a grand, from E7 to C8. I have replaced all wippens, shanks and 
> hammers in this piano. This problem strike line existed before I 
> started this partial rebuild.
>
> Starting at C7 I can play chromatically up the scale to Eb7 and there 
> is no problem. Play E7 and continue on up to C8, and I can hear the 
> pitch of each note, however there is more of a thud and no sustain. 
> Just like the original problem with the old hammers.
>
> I pulled the action out, in the high treble, just a very little bit, 
> and again played E7, same thud, and none of the notes above E7 sounded 
> with any improvement.
>
> I took a new shank, pushed on a left-over new hammer, same size as the 
> C8, removed the E7 shank and hammer, mounted the “test” shank with 
> movable hammer, placed the hammer out farther very slightly from the 
> capo bar, pushed the backcheck back so as not to interfere with the 
> end of the test shank, pushed the action back in to the dags, and 
> played the E7 key.
>
> NO improvement. I continued to move the “test hammer” out on the shank 
> and play the note, each time with no improvement.
>
> I repeated this step on all notes above E7.
>
> I have checked the bridge and it is still solid on the soundboard with 
> no cracks in the glue
>
> joint. The strings are perfectly in place around the bridge pins, 
> hitch pins, and position under the capo bar to the tuning pins.
>
> This Farrand 5’ Grand was built around 1923, has never had the 
> strings, hammers or any major re-work performed on it, and I’ve had 
> the piano since 1953.
>
> Another local piano technician (a friend) and I have discussed this 
> problem and attempted to reach a resolve, but to no avail. Does 
> anybody have some additional suggestions or tests that I can perform 
> on this piano?.
>
> If you have any questions that I can respond to, please fire away.
>
> Many thanks in advance
>
> Gordon Holley
>
> Goshen, IN
>
> Associate Member, Indiana Chap 467
>