<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" = http-equiv=Content-Type> <META content="MSHTML 5.00.2614.3500" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Thanks to all who = responded.</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: = 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A href="mailto:ronli@newnorth.net" title=ronli@newnorth.net>Ron = Lindquist</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org" title=pianotech@ptg.org>pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, April 22, 2001 = 3:13 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: "restoring" crown = with springs</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV>At 01:24 PM 4/22/01 -0400, you wrote:<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite type="cite"><FONT face=arial = size=2>In a message dated 4/22/01 3:38:38 AM Central Daylight Time, <BR><FONT = color=#000000><A = href="mailto:dnereson@dimensional.com">dnereson@dimensional.com</A> = writes: <BR><BR><BR></FONT> <BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite type="cite"> <DIV>To Carl Meyer:</FONT> <BR>   A long-time technician = for the public schools here in Denver has used <BR>springs to "restore" = the crown in some pianos (mostly studios and old <BR>uprights), and with = successful results, i.e. better tone, longer sustain, <BR>more = volume.   He gave a technical at a chapter meeting some years ago, and <BR>it = would take a while for me to find my notes, but briefly, he used angle <BR>brackets fastened to the backposts, automotive valve springs, = fender <BR>washers, and adjustable bolts to vary the pressure.  I = believe the spring / <BR>fender washer / bolt assemblies, one fastened to = each backpost, pressed <BR>directly on the ribs, probably behind the = long bridge.   Seems he may have <BR>let the tension down = first in some cases, or maybe just in the bass, I <BR>don't remember, but I = could look it up.  Anyhow, the results were quite = <BR>impressive.  He didn't recommend it for fine pianos, mind you, but to bring = <BR>some life to an old piano that would otherwise be junked, it was a fairly = <BR>quick and inexpensive cure.    Sincerely, David Nereson, = RPT, Denver <BR><FONT size=2><BR><FONT face=Arial><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>Dave:</FONT>  I'm sure = there are a lot of questions and variations about how to do = this.</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2><FONT face=Arial>Ford or chevy valve = springs?  etc,etc.</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2><FONT face=Arial></FONT></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2><FONT face=Arial>Details at your = convieneince would be appreciated.</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2><FONT face=Arial> </DIV></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT><FONT = size=2>This sounds like a good way to restore some life into older pianos, but the = <BR>question remains, is it worth it? Is the time and materials spent to doing = <BR>this process worth the end result? How long lasting is this process? <BR><BR>Willem </FONT></BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Willem:  Time and materials are = always a consideration.  Twisting bass strings may not be worth it.  = May not last long etc.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>If springs added to a soundboard = makes a usable improvement I think it could be a worthwhile exercise if a simple = procedure could be worked out.  I don't see any reason the improvement = wouln't be long lasting.</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><BR>Wondering  about loading of sound board-----can't = vibrate freely , or rather how it was intended. !  Would not waste my time.----I = heard of a guy-on a grand ,  that jacked up under the Bridge cut a = 2x4  and let it sit for a time .   Real nice work if you can get it.<BR><BR><X-SIGSEP><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ron:  I had a = hard time figuring out what you were saying.  I guess if you jacked up a = bridge and propped it up for maybe double the age of the piano, it might just do = a little good.  I wouldn't want to wait that long.</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I would only do this to a piano that = I personally owned, to make it more saleable musically in addition to cosmetically.</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>There are a lot of upright pianos = that are gorgeous, but mediocre in tone.  Making them sound good too is in = my opinion a noble undertaking.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Thanks for the response.</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Carl Meyer</FONT> </DIV> <P></X-SIGSEP><FONT size=2>R.R.R.</FONT> = </P></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>