<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1400" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><SPAN class=013411423-30082004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>David,</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=013411423-30082004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=013411423-30082004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Yes the sustain is improved and so is the richness and presence of the piano. From the hall, when the bottom lid was put on, it was like if the piano had moved 10 or so feet in the hall. The actual contraption is not attached permenantly to the piano. It is hooked and suspended from the case. I actually bought it from Gaetan Perrin, RPT. It's made from a sheet of some kind of space age plastic. It's black and is making the piano a lot more present especially with the orchestra. Before, the orchestra could just dilute the piano. Now the piano can come above the orchestra if needed.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=013411423-30082004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=013411423-30082004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Marcel</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org]<B>On Behalf Of </B>David Ilvedson<BR><B>Sent:</B> August 30, 2004 6:55 PM<BR><B>To:</B> pianotech@ptg.org<BR><B>Subject:</B> RE: Big Hammers<BR><BR></FONT></DIV> <DIV align=left><SPAN class=448412021-30082004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN>Now isn't that interesting...we talked about the bottom lid many years ago on the List and it's nice someone actually made one.  Anyone else?</DIV> <DIV align=left>Marcel, can you determine if sustain seemed to improve with bottom lid.   I remember commenting about rolling a wedge-shaped reflector under the piano...maybe made of plastic?   I wonder if the bottom board doesn't restrict sound when it's closed or is it always down?  Fascinating!</DIV> <DIV align=left> </DIV> <DIV align=left>David I.</DIV> <DIV align=left><SPAN class=448412021-30082004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV align=left><SPAN class=448412021-30082004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>----- Original message ----------------------------------------><BR>From: Marcel Carey <<A href="mailto:mcpiano@videotron.ca">mcpiano@videotron.ca</A>><BR>To: Pianotech <<A href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A>><BR>Received: Mon, 30 Aug 2004 17:23:57 -0400<BR>Subject: RE: Big Hammers</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV align=left><SPAN class=448412021-30082004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><BR>Barbara.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=448412021-30082004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=448412021-30082004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Have you thought about a bottom lid for this piano. I've installed one in a difficult hall and had great result. You only need sound reflective material that is installed below the piano with an angle about the same as the top lid. It can be tried easily. We had listeners with eyes closed and a technician removing and installing the bottom lid, and all were unanimous about the sound outpout increase in the hall.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=448412021-30082004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=448412021-30082004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Marcel Carey, RPT</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=448412021-30082004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Sherbrooke, QC</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org]<B>On Behalf Of </B>Barbara Richmond<BR><B>Sent:</B> August 30, 2004 1:01 PM<BR><B>To:</B> Pianotech<BR><B>Subject:</B> Big Hammers<BR><BR></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hey all,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Some of you may remember the thread last spring, voicing for a big, dead, hall.  Still waiting for the bureaucracy to make up their minds, but in the mean time I've been thinking a lot about the project and I'd like to have a chat about hammer size.  The hall is huge (3500 seats or so), has lots of carpet and poses a challenge for the piano's projection.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I won't go into all the piano's issues (of which it has quite a few and I can deal with them), but there is one area I'd like to hear your opinions.  Right now, the piano (Steinway D) has the biggest hammers on it that I've ever seen.  Is it a fact that BIG hammers will help power and projection, especially in a problem setting like this?   A friend has recommended that I "leave them big."  Some days I agree with him and on others, I don't.  Of course, I won't really know what's going to work until I dig in, but I'd just like to hear what your experience has been.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Thanks,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Barbara Richmond, RPT</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>