[pianotech] square grand sound clips and pics

[Joseph Garrett]

Terry the Ferrell said:
"The first sound clip is really directed to Joe Garret, with the question:
Is the amount of damper leakage heard in these sound clips appropriate for
this type of instrument? I know you say that the damper system on American
square grands won't cut off like on a modern grand, and these certainly
don't - but they do stop after a couple seconds - and it's only the bass
strings that really make the real slow damping (both when they are played
and that they will ring sympathetically). In the first clip a 10 year old
Yamaha C3 in good condition (off a cruise ship) is played also for
comparison.
 
The second clip is directed to Ron Nossaman who re-did the string scale.
Bass strings are by J. D. Grant and plain wire is Mapes Gold. Scale sounds
very nice to me. :-) Sorry for the couple high treble notes out of tune.
:-("
 
Terry,
I am unable to open the sound clips! Please send in a single email,
privately. Thanks. As for the damper "efficiency", w/o even hearing it, I
will tell you that is the way it was INTENDED. However, the use of Mapes
Gold wire will exacerbate that in the mid treble, as well, since it is TOO
HARD/BRITTLE. I definately would NEVER use that wire on an old instrument.
It is completely opposite of the wire orignally used. Tsk! Tsk!<G>) That is
what happens when a "modern guy" attempts something really "olde"<G>
However the rest of the work looks really well done. The color of the plate
is a bit too silver, but a small point. (Probably the picture
media/computer raster/whatever.Those plates were guilded using varnish,
which gave a "soft" colored gold. Most Steinway plate color had a bit of
burnt umber in them as well. The artwork is exquisite! Just like it should
be. All brass appears to be highly polished and hopefully lacqered.<G> I'm
curious about the key tops. Is that plastic I'm seeing!????? I hope not. 
I'm hoping to figure out some way to  get those sound bites to work. As for
the out of tune unisons in the high treble....well, it's "authentic".<G>
Best
Joe


Joe Garrett, R.P.T.
Captain of the Tool Police
Squares R I
http://gpianoworks.com/