[pianotech] Capo Bars

[Ron Overs]

>No, my question is why the heck do they make agraffes out of brass? 
>Maybe even more noise with an all steel agraffe?
>
>Terry Farrell

Terry,

The best set of agraffes I ever used was a custom set I made for a 
very-high-use Steinway D. I made them from SAE 1040 carbon steel, 
which was EN plated in the usual way that we have been doing it. The 
harder 1040 is much better than brass, since it provides a stronger 
substrate which is less prone to collapse. I built them in 1998. The 
piano is still in service and the agraffes are still clean.

Why don't I build them for all of the pianos we do? It took me a week 
to build the test set on the lathe with my milling attachment. I 
understand the Steinway rep here (who is also a technician) 
criticised the parts because they weren't factory standard - amazing 
stuff. This is how pianos have been stuck-in-a-rut for a 100 years. 
The factory that dominates the others doesn't give a damn about the 
craft, just the politics. So nothing changes.

Ron O.
-- 
OVERS PIANOS - SYDNEY
    Grand Piano Manufacturers
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Web http://overspianos.com.au
mailto:ron at overspianos.com.au
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