Peter, You are quite on the mark with these observations. Better, larger pianos tend have less bass notes but many of the makers knew that more bass notes were required for shorter scales. This is one reason M&H BB's have 21 bass notes instead of 20. ...
Good points all around. I remember this very issue being discussed decades ago (so it ain't new), and one comment I heard (from someone who seemed to know) was that, although its well known that bichords there would be a significant improvement, back ...
Setting the Steinway "Steinwas" argument aside (BTW when Steinway NY went to the 17mm knuckle around 1985 did all the 15.5 mm Steinways become Steinwas? (grin)), Low Tenor plain wire conversion to Bichord can improve the scale with regard to tension and ...
Dear John! How are you? ... will you be attending the PIPPA convention in Las Vegas again next year? I, for one, will be skipping it ... but I'm sure we'll meet again at the PTG conference in Washington, D.C. Now back to the topic ... I am somewhat ...
I'd disagree with Heller. Changing some of the low tenor plain wire trichords to bichords on the Steinway B will yield the absolute best results. Using Paulello wire and hybrid scaling will definitely make significant improvements, however the improvements ...
Or, just make your own tool with a wooden (not bamboo) chopstick. Hold a needle tightly with pliers, make a hole in the center of the small end of the chopstick with the needle, pull it out, cut needle to length, put a drop of CA in the hole, insert ...
Also important to remember that back when this scale was designed, the wire was "different" from what we have today...somewhat softer/weaker which allowed it to perform somewhat "better" in the troublesome areas. Additionally, back then a perfectly smooth ...
Mr Love is correct in that the primary problem in the low tenor are the following tensions give or take a pound or so: Note 21 119 lbs. (The worst) (Yes Paulello TYPE 1 will help) Note 2122 128 lbs. (perhaps bearable) (Yes Paulello TYPE 1 will help) ...
Dear Edward! Steinway model B operates with surprisingly low tensions at some areas-this is truly surprising to many. We at Hellerbass are using an own scale - which is different to the original one - for our bass strings since many years. We also ...
The problem is because the low tenor trichords drop in tension fairly precipitously from about 160lbs to about 120lbs which make the low tenor sound like rubber bands before a big jump in the bass section. Wrapped bichord replacements aren't the best ...
I second Chris's suggestion on using Paulello. I haven't yet hybrid restrung a B, but I've done a number of pianos with Paulello, all of them have been phenomenal at the break. JD Grandt can use Paulello cores for bass strings as well, which really seems ...
As long as you're reaming the flange bushings with the Mannino broaches, you should be good. Probably best to do it to all of them, rather than having some that appear OK today seize up in the foreseeable future. ------------------------------ Patrick ...
Hi! - Apologies! Brain slipped. It can depend on how they are tuned and voiced. Crucial sentence - "I suspect that the stringing scheme had been mucked around with." Best wishes David P - - - - - - I use a special tuning system that's ...
It can depend on how they are tuned and voiced. I use a special tuning system that's unconventional which works really beautifully on original strung Steinways. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sb6pt3OvU_o and with a stronger unequal balance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Z7qCXfGySY ...
I'm currently following a JD Grandt suggestion. 9 notes, starts with Paulello #22 type 1 the other 8 are type O. https://youtube.com/shorts/VM1EQ1VjbiE?si=7I7l14IAdKvWW9WK ------------------------------ Chernobieff Piano Restorations chrisppff@gmail.com ...
Good day gentle techs. It's been my experience over the last 30+ years that Steinway "B"s have a very obvious lack of depth and power on the last couple of strings in the mid range at the break with the bass strings. I have a customer with an 1895 "A" ...
David Tight Young Chang/Samick centers have been discussed on this list many times, including some remedies that work, and others that don't. In my opinion, these centers, including jack, wippen and hammer flanges, all behave like the old Steinway ...
Greetings, I am committed to doing a complete test of the main [2] damper centers on a Chickering CH189 6'1" Grand #77667 [year not findable -- 1980's?]. I did an action overhaul regulation in 2023, and have twice now done single unplayable tight-damper ...
Thanks for the info and your concern Wim. What with the staff reductions at NWS, it's comforting to know that there are those ready to step in. Not worried too much about rain or snow, but always have to be looking out for ICE. In any case, in a ...
Contact Bolduc Pianos https://shop.pianosbolduc.com/products/hart-voicing-tool David Skolnik (917) 589-2625 Hastings on Hudson, NY ------------------------------ David Skolnik [RPT] Hastings-on-Hudson NY (917) 589-2625 ----------------------- ...
I use the Hart voicing tool almost every day, and now for the second time the needle has broken off flush with the opening of the tool, and is jammed in there so I can't get the broken shank of the needle out. The last time this happened, I just bought ...
To my friends in the Northeast and Michigan doing OK with all the snow? Happy Thanksgiving. Wim ------------------------------ Willem "Wim" Blees, RPT St. Augustine, FL 32095 Tnrwim@aol.com ------------------------------
To renew the existing bridge, I will typically remove the pins, sand the bridge surface down until the string marks just remain visible, re-carve the notches and repin. I have usually used Bill Spurlock's "Bridge Repairs for Better Tone" method, which ...
Excellent point Cobrun. Thanks for pointing that out. I want to highlight something you wrote: "That is an awesome method, I mean after all, it's what the pianist feels at ppp-mp dynamic range." That right there is gold, and it was the underlying ...
Ben, That is an awesome method, I mean after all, it's what the pianist feels at ppp-mp dynamic range. If I could add to that: On grands, lightly shape/reshape/bolster individual knuckles IF needed to get worn knuckles to consistent shape. ...
Katie I don't think there is a Piano Technicians organization in Portugal, but if you do a Google search for piano tuners in Lisbon, for instance, you should be able to find some. Wim
Hi everyone, I'll be spending the month of January in Portugal and I'm hoping to stay involved with piano work while I'm there. I know PTG is mostly U.S./Canada, but I figured it couldn't hurt to ask. If anyone happens to know a technician, shop, ...
A lot has changed for me in the past seven years since this thread was started. I no longer use the Emil Fries gauge for let-off. It does come with instructions, but the part that's used for let-off is 1/8". When using a gauge, I prefer the Yamaha 3-in-1 ...
I've been thinking about 3 of the different methods described in this conversation: 1. Using a thin wire or Yamaha 3-in-1 gauge per every individual note is good for making every note accurately distant from it's strings...not all strings are lined ...
There are other issues that led to the decision to not rebuild the keyboard in-house. Will drop you an email. ------------------------------ Benjamin Lian Singapore ------------------------------
Thanks all! Good comments and advice from everyone ------------------------------ Walter Bagnall Chillicothe OH ------------------------------
If you want to research this topic, I suggest using the spelling verdigris, not vertigris. It works better. Sent from AT&T Yahoo Mail on Android
David L, While I mostly agree with everything you just said. I don't think we can assume that the flange was not treated with this mystery tallow whatever solution to decrease brittleness in the long term. Thus, the flange could possibly bleed out and ...
The flange isn't the problem, the shank is the part that's contaminated, that's where the bushings are. That being said, I'm not sure it's cheaper to rebush them than to replace the entire shank and flange assembly unless you're working for minimum ...
Hi Benjamin, That's a woodworking repair than any competent rebuilder or woodworker should be able to handle. Splice in some new wood and fit with west system epoxy. -Dean ------------------------------ Dean Reyburn, RPT Reyburn Pianoworks Reyburn ...
Dean, thanks for the reality check. There is a long split running along the mounting strut for one of the action frame's cleats. It passes through the screw hole. The repair done with glue (probably in the 1983 rebuild) has failed, and the strut has come ...
Do you have false beats? If not leave be, if so repair with epoxy or remove strings and recap. Yes you can recap without removing the plate in some cases. ------------------------------ Parker Leigh RPT Winchester VA (540) 722-3865 --------------- ...
Nope. Not even close. Steinways are hand built pianos, especially during that era. Current Steinway keysets are made by Kluge these days, and they will almost always require major forefinishing to fit into a 100 year old piano. Think trimming check blocks, ...
John Parham has a Journal article about sealing wood against verdigris. You should be able to bring it up using the articles index. ------------------------------ Scott Cole, RPT rvpianotuner.com Talent, OR (541-601-9033 --------------------------- ...
Larry, New flanges will not necessarily be exact duplicates (in fact rarely), and we all know what that means. Been there done that. Walter, Since you've determined to REPLACE the bushings (at least that's how I read your post), the new ...
Are new flanges really too expensive? Problem solved. oops! Not flanges, shanks my bad ------------------------------ Larry Messerly, RPT Bringing Harmony to Homes www.lacrossepianotuning.com ljmesserly@gmail.com 928-899-7292 ------------- ...
Benjamin. Unless it's now different than it was 30 years ago, you get a kit that you had to assemble yourself. You get a keyframe, but you have to make the cut outs for the cheek blocks, and make it fit inside the action cavity, and allow room for ...
Question for this older thread: I am rebushing and repinning to correct a vertigris problem in an older S&S, and I have a question about sealing the wood. Mario Igrec's "Pianos Inside Out' p 247 says 'A longterm solution for verdigris is to .. seal ...
This video file upload might work... ------------------------------ Cobrun Sells cobrun94@yahoo.com ------------------------------
I've tried the Bolduc tool...the one I got from Bolduc the wooden portion contacting the hammer shanks was warped...I replaced it with aluminum and tried it...here were my results (see next post for video). The Bolduc tool is supposed to rest on section ...
LaRoy Edwards' let off tool is pretty slick. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EYb904oDpk Bolduc is selling a wood version of it. Doesn't look hard to make. https://shop.pianosbolduc.com/products/let-off-regulation-tool ------------------------------ ...
The attached pictures are of the bridge of a 1923 S&S model O. Instead of having root and cap, the bass and long bridges appear to be solid maple right through. What's the best way to renew the bridge top? I am not equipped to remove the plate. ------------------------------ ...
Hi, All parts are original except for the hammers, strings and key tops. These were replaced when the piano was reconditioned in 1983. Steinway sells new keyboards and action frames. Am I correct in assuming that these are pretty much drop in replacements ...
Ben, does the Fries gauge come with instructions as to all 9 portions of the gauge? ------------------------------ Cobrun Sells cobrun94@yahoo.com ------------------------------
Read "Voice of the Piano" ------------------------------ Parker Leigh RPT Winchester VA (540) 722-3865 ------------------------------