Fwd: [CAUT] Wapin Seminar Report

[terryb]

I am forwarding the report on the Wapin Installation at Brandon University 
from Mark Cramer as he is not subscribed to Pianotech. He also sent the 
report on the CAUT list.  Please note that the pictures have been removed 
as they are too large to be accepted on CAUT and I can't figure out how to 
send them to ptg.org/files. I can try to send them individually if anyone 
is interested.

Terry Beckingham


>Date: Mon, 04 Dec 2006 14:40:52 -0600
>From: Mark Cramer <Cramer at BrandonU.ca>
>To: CAUT <caut at ptg.org>
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>Subject: [CAUT] Wapin Seminar Report
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>Hello all,
>
>here are some photos from the recent Wapin installation seminar at Brandon 
>University.
>
>You may recall my skepticism about Wapin. After reading the amazing claims 
>on the Wapin website, I e-mailed Tim Geinert and asked "are you willing to 
>prove it!?"
>
>Even when he generously offered to travel here and answer my challenge, 
>the doubts remained... "is the piano going to sound wierd, will we need 
>scientific equipment to tell, or are we all just going to agree to 
>"imagine" what we hear.(!?)"
>
>Fortunately the results were NOT subtle. The improvement I personally 
>witnessed in this piano was profound, more to the order of a transformation.
>
>Every pianist, even those who had been quite vocal about their dislike for 
>this "plinky" instrument noticed it right away, without prompting... "it 
>lingers, what did you do to open the sound?..." Some were arrested within 
>a few bars, and one at the very first chord!
>
>And as musicians do,  they all seemed to conveniently forget about the bad 
>regulation, wobbly keys and uneven voicing they had pointed out 
>beforehand, and zero in on something else, in fact the only "something 
>else " that had actually changed.  By their own words, this  "ugly" 
>instrument went from "unplayable" to "vibrant," and from "completely 
>un-interesting" to "wonderful," albeit within 24 hours!
>
>For us technicians however, trying to desribe any improvement using the 
>tired old adjectives "warmer, richer, stronger, faster, etc." gets real 
>lame in a hurry. So I'll put it this way; when I install new hammers, or 
>deep-needle the shoulders, or carefully fit them to the strings, I have a 
>certain aural expectation in mind. Sometimes I'm pleased, sometimes 
>disappointed.
>
>By comparison, the effect Wapin displayed on this instument would be 
>greater than my expectation of any of the three routines described above, 
>and at least equal to the combination of all three put together, in their 
>perceived ability to enhance a piano's sound. I hope this paints a helpful 
>picture.
>
>My humble recommendation...
>
>If you're the type who prefers to wallow in the mild bemusement of 
>actually doing something, over the heady exhilaration of sublime 
>speculation and endless debate, find a profoundly disappointing instrument 
>(preferably the work of thine own hands) and try this Wapin thing out for 
>yourself. Make your own conclusions.
>
>Retro-fitting is less work than a typical bridge-repinning, and I think 
>they even have a "how to" DVD. I'm sure the results will make this little 
>adventure more than worth your while.
>
>As for the skeptic, well I've just ordered a Wapin license ($325.00 U.S.) 
>for the 1923 Mason & Hamlin A I'm currently rebuilding and intend to for 
>the 1885 Steinway A, and possibly the 1912 B ... (I might occasionaly be 
>cheap, but I ain't stupid. ;>)
>
>Finally, I have to express an overwhelming debt of gratitude to Tim 
>Geinert. Not just for the generousity of his time, and so capably sharing 
>a valuable skill, but for taking a disappointing piano within my care, and 
>transforming it to a musical level I had otherwise been unable to achieve.
>
>Thanks Tim!
>
>best regards,
>Mark Cramer,
>Brandon University
>
>PS One strange thing; you can actually "feel the resonance" through the 
>keys. All the pianists noticed this. It's not in the least bit 
>distracting, actually we tend to think it's kind of cool!

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