Banjo-like tone in mid-treble: soundboard?

[Alan R. Barnard]

Au contrere, mon frere, 
Before you despair
There's a common repair
If you dare
And the board may be just fine ... from the description, I'd bet 14 ounces of gerbil droppings that the cap is comin' off the bridge. I've seen this on several Hamilton studios (prone to it, apparently). All the energy gets absorbed in the springiness off the cap so it sounds like a banjo playing in sync with a drummers wood block. If this is the case, glue it n' screw it, I say.
On reading the post a second time, maybe not. I was wrong once before about some little thing, I think, but I may be wrong. Anyway, I'd look closely at the bridge before condeming the beast.
Another test: Slip thin shim under a few strings (on the bridge) that are "dead"; see if anything changes.
Alan Barnard
Salem, MO
Joshua 24:15






Original message
From: "David Ilvedson" 
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Received: 08/22/2006 7:00:37 PM
Subject: RE: Banjo-like tone in mid-treble: soundboard?


When I think of banjo, I think of no sustain...plunkity, plunkity...say goodbye to that board...you could find another pianjo and have dueling pianjos..;-]

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA 94044






Original message
From: "A440 Piano Service" 
To: "PTG List" 
Received: 8/22/2006 2:43:53 PM
Subject: Banjo-like tone in mid-treble: soundboard?


Greetings,
 
I worked on a piano today that sounds more like a banjo than like a piano, especially (but not only) near the upper treble break.  In trying to diagnose the root cause of it I shaped suspect hammers, needled hammers, steamed them (mellowed the attack but still sounded like it had a head cold) switched hammers with neighbors, leveled and seated strings, and even replaced the action with another identical action that I had in my garage which had better hammers.
 
It's an 1894 Kimball upright, with vertical ribs.  No real sign of rib separation, but there are some soundboard cracks.  I took my rocker-type downbearing guage and determined that at some points, especially, but not only, near the upper break (the bridge is complete and NOT notched there, btw) there seems to be really zero downbearing.  At other points, there is about .008" clearance between the rocker end and the string.  
 
Humidity in the room was 28-31% while I was there.  Customer runs a humidifier in the room at night for 1.5 hours each night for his guitar.  The humidifier is about 15 feet away.
 
Is that 107 year-old soundboard just a goner?  Would a DamppChaser help?  Any other thoughts?
 
Thanks for your input,
 
John Dorr
Helena, MT
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