<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML style="FONT-SIZE: x-small; FONT-FAMILY: MS Sans Serif"><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2769" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Yesterday I did answer but I put my answer down = in the text where your questions are and did my answers in a blue font.  = But when it posted it just put the font in black and blended it so you cannot = tell my answers from your questions.  So here is the answers again in the = beginning of the email.  SORRY</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>The gentleman who tuned also did the = repairs.  Repairs done were:  1 set damper felts, 1 set bridle straps, a = hammer, a thorough cleaning inside, new key bed, a tuning and 2 ivory keys = tops.  I bought the piano from a lady who claims the piano has been in her family = since it was new.  Handed down from generation to generation.  Her = son played it and was going to keep it but didn't have room in his house for = it. So he went with a digital.  The thing that is bothering me is the = techniciam who has done the tuning and repairs is the one who checked it out before = I bought it from her and said the repairs listed above were all it needed = and would be good for another generation, with tunings as needed.  He = came and did the cleaning and removed the part that has the hammers and took it = with him, then returned and put the piano back together, finished the repairs and tuned.  As soon as he left the one key began making this annoying sound.  He came back and discovered a few hairline cracks in the = upper treble bridge.  He said when he checked out the piano at the lady's = house he did overlook the bass and treble bridge.    I bought = the piano from the lady for $230.  I bought it for my teenage daughter and myself.  I took lessons for years as a child and my daughter wants = to learn.  The piano was delivered by a piano mover on 10-04-2005, and = the technician came out for the second time on 10-13-2005 to bring back the = part he took with the hammers and put the piano back together and tuned = it.  We played the piano before he came out to work on it and we have been = playing on  it daily since the repairs.  When he came out the third = time to figure out the noise he put a sponge wedge in  between the strings = and it does absorb the abnormal sound in the F key  (F5).  So I am = concerned as to what to do from here.  Repair further or just chuck the piano = and forget it.  I don't know if my husband will allow me to get = another piano after this experience.  I will check out the web site listed = below and see if there are any technicians in my area.  I would like = a second opinion.  I went yesterday to a Steinway store.  I tell = you either I have weird ears and really can't distinguish good sound or this = old 1890 Sohmer has got a far better sound.  Those steinways sound = small and faint. My Sohmer sound is BIG and deep.   They also had a = Boston there that I played on and one of the keys wouldn't play.  She said = it was the humidity that was causing the hammer to stick, that Boston was a new = piano.  I couldn't believe it.  They will only give me $700.00 = for a trade in.</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=spalding48@earthlink.net href="mailto:spalding48@earthlink.net">Michael Spalding</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, November 16, = 2005 2:38 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> RE: Hairline cracks in = Treble Bridge</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV> <DIV>Dear Newdaymoore,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>When a single note develops a noise following tuning, it usually indicates a sympathetic vibration.  Tuning that note has = (perhaps) altered its pitch to bring it in tune with whatever is resonating, and = also increased its energy output by tuning all 3 strings of the unison to = vibrate at the same frequency.  It might be a normal part of the piano = (caster, hinge, etc.), a damaged part of the piano (separated rib-soundboard = joint) or something else in the room (picture frame, curios on glass shelf, etc.).   IMHO it's highly unlikely that hairline cracks in = another part of the bridge are related to your noise.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>However, you've got bigger issues:  "<FONT face=Arial>I = have recently put $523 worth of repairs into this piano.  I am = wondering if I should even do the treble bridge repair...</FONT></DIV> <DIV>Facts you've provided:   You are a piano owner, not a technician (that's OK), your piano is 115 years old (that's at least 2 = piano lifetimes), and you've had it tuned by someone who does not do = repairs.</DIV> <DIV>Facts that would help us help you better:  How long have you = had the piano, who plays the piano and why, what restorative work has been = done to the piano, either by you ($523) or previous owners.  What are your = goals for the piano (or its replacement), what is your budget.</DIV> <DIV>The odds are against a 115-year-old piano holding up better than = a new one, unless you plan to spend more thatn the cost of a new one on restoration.  The truth is, all pianos require regular = maintenance, and without it they "don't hold up".</DIV> <DIV>You ought to consider having a piano technician who is knowledgeable/skilled in repairs and rebuilding evaluate your piano = and present some options.  It will cost some money just to get the evaluation, but in the long run could save you a bundle.  </DIV> <DIV>Find a technician here:  <A = href="http://www.ptg.org/findATechnician.php?PHPSESSID=6cb955a538d074= 1f2597f0e6259fe9a8">http://www.ptg.org/findATechnician.php?PHPSESSID=6c= b955a538d0741f2597f0e6259fe9a8</A></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>hope this helps</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Mike</DIV> <DIV></DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt Arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=newdaymoore@bellsouth.net href="mailto:newdaymoore@bellsouth.net"></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> 11/16/2005 11:48:55 AM = </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Hairline cracks in = Treble Bridge</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV><FONT size=2> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I have an 1890 Sohmer Upright = (55").  After having it tuned I started hearing an annoying vibrating = sound out of the F Key above middle C.  My tuner came back out to investigate and found some hairline cracks in the upper part of the = treble bridge.  He called a few people whom he trusts for bridge rebuilding.  His plan was to remove the half of the treble = bridge with the cracks and send it off to be used as a model = to rebuild a new one and put the new one in for me.  But everyone was booked = well into next year.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>So he found out about a gentleman = who does Epoxy repair.  He himself has never done this type of repair = with epoxy but after speaking with this man and watching his video = he feels confident that he can repair the hairline cracks with epoxy.  I = am wanting to know the pros and cons to doing such a repair.  Can = you also tell me the pros and cons to removing the half of = the treble bridge with the hairline cracks and sending it away to be used as a = model to build a new half and putting in a new half bridge in instead.</FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I have recently put $523 worth of = repairs into this piano.  I am wondering if I should even do the treble = bridge repair and if so which way to go.  The tone in this piano = sounds really great to me and my daughter.  I hear so many bad things about = newer pianos not holding up well.  So could any of you advise me on = this matter.  I am concerned about the epoxy method causing any = problems with the tone and sound.  Plus will the pins be glued in?  = Would that cause problems later on?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Thanks.</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>