Absolutely Agree! Joe Joe Garrett, R.P.T. Captain of the Tool Police Squares R I ----- Original Message ----- From: David M. Porritt To: joegarrett at earthlink.net;pianotech at ptg.org Sent: 2/8/2011 9:42:47 AM Subject: Re: [pianotech] re. Changing dampers on a Steinway Upright Joe: I understand what you are saying about piano variety. However, when a customer complains of poor damping I have to remember that it is no longer Mason's piano or Steinway's piano but THEIR piano and it is their call on what "improvements" they might want. I don't call Steinway (or anyone else) to ask if I can make changes to an owner's instrument. dave Sent from my BlackBerry® From: "Joseph Garrett" <joegarrett at earthlink.net> Sender: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org Date: Tue, 8 Feb 2011 08:11:18 -0800 To: pianotech<pianotech at ptg.org> ReplyTo: joegarrett at earthlink.net, pianotech at ptg.org Subject: [pianotech] re. Changing dampers on a Steinway Upright Frank said: "Consider the tiny little dampers even on concert grands of 100 or so years ago (not to mention square pianos!). It would appear that damping efficiency was not a great priority back then. Of course, we can significantly improve damping efficiency fairly easily, today. As with any design change, consideration must be given to preserving the original design vs. improving performance. I am generally inclined to improve performance unless there is a compelling reason to do otherwise." Frank, Most techs are too quick to "change" what they don't understand, IMO. You are somewhat correct, in your assumption "...that damping efficiency was not a great priority back then." I'm sure you are aware that most manufacturers made Overdamper Uprights right beside "modern" uprights. And, "modern" Grands right along side of Square Grands. Have you ever considered WHY? I would submit, to you, Consumer Demand is the reason. It is my supposition that there was a demand for that "Sound", (which I further imagine as a replica of the sound of a previous time, i.e. early 1800's - "just like grandma's piano"!) By the late 1800's the industry KNEW how to make a piano dampen, (in our eyes/ears), properly. They just chose not to make them all the same. (Like so many cookie cutter types of today, I might add!) For some reason, our society, (and the musical society), wants "sameness". Personally, I prefer the wild differ ences of bygone eras. The huge differences of the Grotrians/Steinways/Mason-Hamlins/Pleyels/etc, was what MADE those companies, IMO. Today, we hear a Mason Hamlin that is trying to be something it is not. The same applies to most other manufacturers, as well, IMO. Keeping that in mind, please do not rush to Change what you percieve to be an improvement, unless, it really is an "improvement"! In the case of Square Grands, do not EVER try to install unichord/bichord/trichord dampers! You will create the biggest mess you can possibly imagine. I've had to untangle many of such messes. The same goes for over-damper uprights. Please do not do that?!! IF a client complains about "poor damping" in an instrument, we are quick to rush in and say: "I can fix that"..(by altering the design). Many such re-designs negate any of the character of what WAS that individual piano. Hence, more "cookie cutter crap", IMO. Thanks for listening, Regards, Joe Joe Garrett, R.P.T. Captain of the Tool Police Squares R I -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech.php/attachments/20110208/0acbe606/attachment-0001.htm>
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