[pianotech] Steinway Model "O"

[Encore Pianos]

WELL....  That would seem intuitively obvious.  Dead things don't move.
:-)

Will Truitt

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Overs Pianos
Sent: Monday, June 11, 2012 4:09 PM
To: joegarrett at earthlink.net; pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Steinway Model "O"

Hi Joe,

I would agree that the more collapsed the panel, in general, the better will
be the tuning stability, provided that the seniority of the instrument isn't
also accompanied with a development of poor string rendering, which is
common with S&S and the myriad others who have longish/stiff under-string
felt with unhardened and wide-ish counter-bearing bars. But if the rendering
is fine, a dead board will invariably result in outstanding stability.

Ron O.

>I have a client with a S&S Model "O". (early version of the current 
>Model "L"). The piano was his Mother's piano. When it first arrived, I 
>assessed it's condition and told the client that the piano was "shot". 
>The soundboard had many screws through to ribs to curtail buzzes. Lots 
>of cracks in the board. The Killer Octave had reduced sustain. Basic S.B.
>shape was a "W"! Y'all know the symptoms, (or at least your should<G>). 
>The basic design of the Bass bridge was wrong, (no pairs of bi-chord 
>strings were equal, causing difficulty in unison tuning). And, there 
>were hair-line cracks at the bridge pins. Bass tone/projection was 
>adequate. Several loose tuning pins were noted with the initial tuning 
>process. Tonal condition of the strings is good.
>The action was really toast! All original and 90 years old!l Plus, 
>major Vertigris problems. The dampers were still working, so not in the 
>mix of "problems". <G> Original finish?, ......Alligatored..Major! The 
>client doesn't care about the "finish".<G> I have since CA'd the loose 
>tuning pins. The bass bridge I can live with.
>The piano is in a small, acoustically "live", living room, so lack of 
>power, is not an issue. The lack of sustain in the killer octave does 
>not bother the owner, since the piano is used mainly in string quartet 
>chamber music sort of thangs. Also, the action has been completely 
>rebuilt, w/new N.Y. Parts and Wurzen Hammers. At this point the piano 
>is extremely stable, especially in the killer octave. It sounds great 
>in this environment, imo and the owners.<G> This leads me to a 
>question: Because the soundboard is "shot", I suspect that the tuning 
>stability is due to the fact that the soundboard is not as reactive to 
>climatic changes, as would a new "lively" board. Any one care to 
>comment?<G> Regards,
>
>Joe Garrett, R.P.T.
>Captain of the Tool Police
>Squares R I


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