Discussion Posts

Which is why I hypothesize that, although it "resembles" a false beat, it in fact must be something else. But as stated...its a good thing the owner doesn't sense it (for obvious reasons). And Tim is very astute to NOT draw attention to it. Peter ...

One thing that I see in these comments/testimonials is that by and large, the PTG is very much the organization that it aspires to be. In this day and age that says a lot, especially considering that we are mostly a group of sole proprietors with no larger ...

Timothy, After reading your original post stating the false beats situation on a Wurlitzer spinet, you are not hearing false beats. It is physically impossible for all plain wire strings to produce the same false beat rate. Consider what a false beat ...

Hey everyone! Thanks for the great conversation about Convention. Thought I'd jump in as an Institute team member with a few things... Every year we talk in-depth about how to bring more hands-on experiences to the event. You've touched on how challenging ...

Dean I hadn't really thought this through to realize all the logistical problems of offering those seminars at a convention. But I know that even the playground takes a lot of extra work, to not only set up, but transport all the action models ...

Thanks to Larry, they will soon be on their way to GA. ------------------------------ William Ballard RPT WBPS Saxtons River VT 802-869-3161 "Our lives contain a thousand springs and dies if one be gone Strange that a harp of a thousand strings ...

Hi Dean and Wim, The in-person hands-on training opportunities at Steinway are as follows: Regulation and Touch Control Seminar (1 week) Voicing and Tone Production Seminar (1 week) Damper Installation and Regulation Seminar (1 week) Spirio ...

The more I know the less I understand. There are three terminations for each string. At the capo or agraffe a massy termination. At the bridge a massy termination in the plane of the soundboard and a lossy termination in a 90° orientation to the soundboard. ...

The ideal or theoretical condition of a string should be a perfectly straight string with no bends, kinks or stresses at both terminations. Unfortunately, the nature of the capo bar and bridge puts a curving stress at both terminations. If the string ...

With my customer being an hour away over the interstate, I thought I'd investigate the feasibility of making my next trip armed with a bag of replacement parts, so I could perhaps complete a repair in one trip. The damper rods in these Walter uprights ...

I sent a private message reply with an address if still available. Thank you! --Larry --Finelytunedpianos.com ------------------------------ Larry Atlanta GA ------------------------------

Hello Blaine, Let me see if I understand you correctly: You're suggesting that a concave area between the upper and lower bridge pins on one of these spinets, (since there is a relatively uniform distance between those bridge pins) could cause a relatively ...

Hello Peter. That's what was so strange about this. Normally, false beats change frequency, depending upon the pitch of the string(s). In this case, the "false" beat frequency remained the same regardless of the pitch of the string(s). Additionally, ...

I once wrote out a list of possible causes of false beats, my list is now up to 30 possible causes (list available on request). If a string is vibrating with a false beat it essentially has two (or more) frequencies that it is vibrating at. Piano strings ...

I cannot see a link. Can you send me that directly hpp@highpointpiano.com ------------------------------ Garret Traylor Trinity NC (336) 887-4266 ------------------------------

Over a half century, I've collected some 3 dozen books: technical manuals, historical, and some general piano interest, all but all pertaining to our trade. Ideally the entire collection could go to a college/university piano maintenance shop, and instantly ...

For newer agraffes that are hard to find replacements for, I found new tools for reaming the agraffe holes. What I was looking for was reaming specs that were good matches for specific agraffe holes. What I did was use wire size drill bits to find ...

Tim, In re-reading your OP you simply mention a false that all (most) plain wire strings have, with the same beat rate. Does the frequency of this false beat remain the same, or does it follow sequentially up the scale with each note? Or is that ...

I somehow have four of these casters. Measurements are 5-1/2 high x 3-1/8 wide (double caster width 2-7/16) x 3/4 stem width. $600 for set of 3 with free bonus 4th . Shipping additional. ------------------------------ Ruth Zeiner ruthbz88@gmail.com ...

And LM waves are typically very high. Peter Grey Piano Doctor ------------------------------ Peter Grey Stratham NH (603) 686-2395 pianodoctor57@gmail.com ------------------------------

Maggie, I think that pretty much rules out the strings as the direct cause though they could be driving some other part of the piano in some mysterious way. Longitudinal waves remain constant, being length, not tension, based but they wouldn't remain ...

Hi Wim, I don't know if Steinway offers a damper class - not the last time I checked, but maybe Daniel D. from Steinway can comment. I've attended (or in some cases taught) at all of those classes except the Steinway voicing class. The classes being ...

"... or a hard surfaced staircase." That's an interesting one I hadn't considered. Btw, an engineer once told me the effect off of ceiling fans is due to the echos bouncing off the moving blades. ------------------------------ Steven Rosenthal RPT ...

Perhaps an echo or reverb, such as between two plate glass windows or a hard surfaced staircase. ------------------------------ Ed Sutton ed440@me.com (980) 254-7413 ------------------------------

Excellent ideas on the multi day seminars offered, Dean (Does Steinway still offer the week long damper instal sessions?) We already have the playground. But would it be possible to offer the Vertical Regulation class at the convention? It would need ...

There was a french voicer from Fazioli at the 2026 convention. I thought only US dealers were shady! ------------------------------ Parker Leigh RPT Winchester VA (540) 722-3865 ------------------------------

I'm fresh out. No clue...other than some "system" somewhere in the vicinity (either inside or outside) that is somehow interacting with the vibration of the piano. Maggie, that is an interesting and tactful way of bringing it back to the OP. ...

Hi all, I have a customer that is stuck in the midst of a deal with a shady dealer in Paris , France. Does anyone know any reputable techs to inspect a piano there? Thanks!!! ------------------------------ Matteo Crudo, RPT DC Piano Co. dcpianos.com ...

Anyone have any ideas about a beat speed that only sounds when the strings are sounding and never changes speed when the pitch is changed? (no fan) ------------------------------ Maggie Jusiel, RPT Athens, WV (304)952-8615 mags@timandmaggie.net --- ...

This is also pertinent to the Best Reason to attend convention thread. I had a bass string break (a double) on a S&S 'L' recently. I opted to splice the broken string. Not only is it cheaper, but the tuning stabilized much faster. Well, I had almost ...

I had a similar experience the first year I was tuning. Except that the fan was off when I tuned the piano. The customer called me a day later to tell me the piano sounded off. I went there and checked it and both of us agreed that the piano sounded fine. ...

Peter P., That's a good tip to know...about an adjacent room or even elsewhere. Peter Grey Piano Doctor ------------------------------ Peter Grey Stratham NH (603) 686-2395 pianodoctor57@gmail.com ------------------------------

A little anecdote. My first year piano tuning as a complete greenhorn I was working for a Yamaha dealer. He sent me out to do a warranty tuning to a new customer that had just bought a brand new console. As I was tuning it, I kept thinking there's something ...

Great thread. One of the limitations I've noticed at the PTG conventions is, it's difficult for classes to give hands-on instruction. Powerpoints are great, but many people don't learn well that way, it feels incomplete. Teaching at the Grand Action ...

I experienced the exact same symptoms on an older Young Chang upright. I found that the base of the leftmost damper bracket support had cracked where it is screwed into the action frame, right between the two screws. Hope that helps.

I think what Loren is getting at is that some of us simply don't learn well by sitting in classrooms for long stretches . I'm one of those people. I actually enjoy a good presentation, but at this year's convention I attended about 4½ classes . One ...

Hello, Peter, AHA! Indeed! “Yes. Yes. Maestro, _now_ I understand.” …heard decades ago at a rehearsal of a major West Coast orchestra when the “diode” (e.g. semi-conductor) finished screaming at a player who had just done precisely what had been ...

Tim, No ceiling fan...good, as that clearly eliminates that possibility. I re-read your OP and now say: Since it is not bothering the client...best (probably) to just forget about it and roll with it. I suspect that's what you have actually done ...

Similarly, at every opportunity I had, I used it to share the knowledge I have gained (largely through PTG membership) with those wanting to learn. Teaching is rewarding, especially when you "see" that aha moment in the student's head when they now can ...

I used to tune a piano in a house in which the old refrigerator pump was running all the time, at least whenever I was there. It's not something one might even notice unless focused on listening to the piano. It made a low thrumming sound. Likewise other ...

Also, the cost for a single string order is within a couple of dollars of two strings; shipping costs are the same (at least with Mapes). John Ginter Plum Piano Restoration, Inc. e-mail: john@plumpiano.com

Following because this happened to me and even when I moved strings, the best rate stayed the same. For me, it was a Baldwin grand. It did that for a couple years and just randomly stopped. ------------------------------ Maggie Jusiel, RPT Athens, ...

It's not likely the rod itself is twisting. More likely that the hangar brackets (L shaped thingees) are not aligned or loose, or the hangar flanges are broken, loose, or the felt inside is deteriorated. I once tried to bend that rod, different brand, ...

Working on a Charles Walter upright-- Damper rod appears to be twisting. Treble dampers lift well, but the lift gradually decreases toward the bass until the bass dampers barely lift at all. Pulled the action, tightened the hook brackets, inspected ...

Hi Peter. No ceiling fan was in the room. -- Tim ------------------------------ Timothy Edwards Beckley WV (740) 517-7636 ------------------------------

Hi all, I wasn't going to chime in on this thread but decided to go ahead briefly. I can no longer attend national and I truly miss it. Family obligations take priority and keywork is too abundant during that week to ignore. Y'all take the opportunity ...

"When I hear about the national conventions, I picture mostly sitting and listening, and spending a lot of money. I have very little interest in that." Loren But if you don't go, you will miss out on all the outside of class conversations. Which ...

What I noticed this time around was a far greater number of new (less than one year experience) attendees, revealed when the instructor polled the audience. With that fact in mind I began evaluating whatever class I was in from the standpoint of how I ...

Jason If this piano is under warranty, contact Kawai. This was a known problem, especially with the small pianos, GL 10. I would recommend replacing both strings, especially if they come from someone other than Kawai. Stewart Freedman Sent from my iP ...

Hi, Maggie! Great to see you last week! Folks should really be fired up about your next session!! Chuck Sent from my iPhone