Pitchlock

[Michael Gamble]

Hello Andrew - any chance of a piccy?
Michael of Sussex (UK)
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Andrew & Rebeca Anderson" <anrebe@laredo.globalpc.net>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, June 21, 2005 4:40 PM
Subject: Re: Pitchlock


> The pitch-lock devise is a 'staple' for lack of a better description that 
> grips two adjacent strings and couples their harmonic motion.  This 
> coupling does come at a price.  The highest partials & noise is muted. 
> That is why you only couple the two worst strings of a noisy three string 
> unison.  You couple out the out-of-phase noises and keep one loose for 
> "life" in the sound.
> Bass strings lose a lot of their "airiness" when coupled.  Balanced 
> against very noisy strings in, say, a chinese piano this may be a good 
> choice.  It is not something I'd consider first in a performance venue 
> instrument.  But to tame a noisy customer piano that is hard to tune and 
> doesn't respond to termination work, why not?
> The device's inventor was clear that this solution is not for all pianos 
> and for all situations.  Try out and use judiciously.  I can think of a 
> Pramberger upright that will get these on some noisy bass strings, also a 
> Yamaha C7 with several screaming front duplexes (yes the capo should be 
> re-milled, try getting that through a committee).   You can use these to 
> couple all three duplexes and then tune them to a desired partial by 
> sliding them to or away from the center of the duplex.  Quite cool 
> actually.
>
> Andrew
>
> At 02:05 PM 6/20/2005, you wrote:
>>Hello List and Paul C.
>>For those able to attend that class this must have been a day of 
>>Revelations. (Not religion!) But for those unable to attend I wonder what 
>>a "Pitchlock" is? Is it something like the "Wolf Arrester" I have on my 
>>'cello "C" string?
>>Regards
>>Michael G.(UK)
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: <mailto:tune4@earthlink.net>Paul Chick (Earthlink)
>>To: <mailto:pianotech@ptg.org>'Pianotech'
>>Sent: Monday, June 20, 2005 2:09 PM
>>Subject: RE: Pitchlock
>>
>>
>>Subject: Pitchlock
>>
>>Has anyone had experience with the pitchlock devices.  It sounds like 
>>something that would help with some wild bass strings, and maybe even some 
>>false beating treble strings.  However the startup cost is pretty hefty. 
>>Not bad if it does what it says, but I thought I might inquire from the 
>>list first.
>>Any thoughts??
>>
>>Ed Carwithen
>>John Day, OR
>>
>>Ed
>>The class on Pitchlock at the K C Institute demonstrated their use. 
>>Attendees listened to the "before" and the "after" in the speaking 
>>lengths, front and rear duplex.  They work as claimed.
>>
>>Paul C
>
>