[pianotech] Blocks

[Ron Nossaman]

On 10/22/2012 11:40 AM, Ed Foote wrote:
> Ok,I renamed it,
>
> Greetings,
>         Re the "Hexagrip Pinblock", the site says, "The tighter the grip
> on> the tuning pins, the longer the piano stays in tune.">>
>
>     If this is true, then why doesn't Steinway and Sons use something
> like Falconwood, where 200 in/lbs is an easy to get target?

Obviously, it's not true. So why isn't Steinway buried up to the 
eyeballs in questions about obvious contradictions like this. Granted, 
they've already graphically demonstrated our gullibility and general 
stupidity by our unquestioning acceptance of the rest of their similarly 
flagrant fantasies, but... I just answered my own question.


>     And, if this is true, why do so many Steinways have lower torque in
> the low bass than in the high treble?

Not just Steinway. I always speculated that it is because the treble is 
0.1" deeper in the block, the string coil is 0.066" smaller in diameter 
for the same size pin, and the tension is 200lbs less.


>I have seen this repeatedly and
> one of these is a very expensive belly job from the Steinway
> Restoration Dept. I  really think it should be reversed.

It should, and could be, but that would take a denser block and a 
process designed to produce that result rather than the present result - 
resulting.


>       Any experienced tech knows better than to give credibility to the
> idea of Hexagrip superiority.

Superior to what? What they did with the Hexagrip, was indirectly 
acknowledge that their blocks were too soft, and oriented the 
laminations so that the pin is bearing on end grain in every layer of 
the block. Not a bad try, but there is so very much pressure on the top 
two layers, and so very little on the rest (tapering down), that it 
wasn't an effective cure. So it's essentially pointless.


>Dealer techs usually
> don't point out low torque pins, as long as the tuning holds, but if I
> think a problem is up the road, I sure do.

Absolutely, as with action and belly issues as the dealer is saying 
"Just needs voiced, which any real tech can take care of easily". I 
always thought *someone* ought to tell buyers the truth.


> Too much
> inconsistency after a few years to lay any claim to greatness.

If there is any one word characterizing the vast number of complaints 
about Steinway quality for many many years, it's "inconsistency". At 
least the reason for the complaints is consistent.
Ron N