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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com
href="mailto:mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com">Farrell</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=pianotech@ptg.org
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, April 23, 2003 =
3:58
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Asian Hammer Butt =
Spring String
Friction</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Asian Hammer Butt Spring String Friction - say that 3 times real
fast........<BR><BR>Problem: Renner Asian-type upright hammer butts =
with the
integral spring and flange cord and steel plate that retains the =
flange center
pin. The flange cord forms an acute angle that faces the width of the =
steel
center pin retainer. When the butt is at rest, the flange cord is a =
millimeter
or so away from the edges of the steel plate. As the hammer is =
propelled
forward toward the strings, the apex of the flange cord angle gets =
closer to
the steel flange and so the opening of the angle gets smaller. Prior =
to the
flange being parallel to the shank (which is pretty close to the =
position when
the hammer would hit the string), the flange cord comes into contact =
with the
edge of the steel plate and for the short distance to the flange =
aligning with
the hammer shank, the flange cord drags along the edge of the steel =
plate.
<BR><BR>I can feel the resistance in the flange. I can't imagine it =
should be
like that. I just bought these hammer butts from Renner. Has anyone =
ever
noticed this before? Does this occur on Yamahas? Any thoughts on how =
this
might affect performance? I'm inclined to reject these hammer butts, =
but I've
been know to obsess over trivial matters before (good enough won't cut =
it
here). Any thoughts?<BR><BR>Terry Farrell<BR>
<BR>_______________________________________________<BR>pianotech list =
info: <A
=
href="https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives">http://www.ptg.org=
/mailman/listinfo/pianotech</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Yes, I've encountered this, but it was in a piano that was also
mice-infested, and I thought the mice were chewing the spring loops, =
which
they may have been. I dunno, maybe the cords need to be made of =
nylon or
kevlar or some other space-age material. Or all the butt plates =
need to
be rounded off and polished. Or get butts with longer spring
loops. There are Schwander-type butts without the butt plates, =
also
(conventional pinning). Haven't noticed the problem on Yamahas =
-- maybe
their loops don't rub. Don't Kawais and other Asian pianos have =
the same
type butt? I doubt the friction is enough to affect =
performance.
Certainly anyone who would notice that miniscule an amount of friction =
should
be playing a grand (?). --David Nereson,
RPT<BR></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>