> Ron, > I have a Erard with a new board that sings beautifully...except for the > last 1/2 octave. Fudging with the hammer placement has yielded only min. > improvements. It almost sounds as though the board is stifled in that > section. Thus the idea of mass loading the bridge has me thinking in > those terms. > > Tom Servinsky Hmmm, could be a number of things, but something is sucking up the string energy. Sounds like you've eliminated the usual suspects by plucking and strike point prospecting, so it's not the hammers. I'd try a big vise grip on a bridge pin up there to see if you got any positive change from the added mass. If so, then you get to try and figure out how to get to the underside with weights - unless the vise grip can be gold plated and sold as a feature. Try wedging blocks or a screw jack under the belly rail too, and see what that does. Better yet, jack a hunk of steel, lead, brass, or whatever you have at hand that is heavy against the underside of the belly rail. If you get a positive change with any of this, it gives you a diagnosis of sorts, and at least a chance at improving it. Luck, Ron N
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