Pianotech

Hello all, I recently restrung an 1895 WW Kimball upright, which also required lots of rib regluing. I reused the original bridges, and put CA on the bridge pins which were still relatively tight.  It all sounds pretty good except the bottom two tenor notes (which are wound)  have a nasal sound without much sustain.  The bridge has some downbearing on the back side but none on the front (speaking) side.  When you pluck the strings they ring pretty well but not when you play them with the hammers.
Is there any way to address this problem without major surgery?  I experimented with plucking the string in different places near the strike point and also just hitting it with a spare hammer just above the strike point and it seemed to make a slight improvement.  I was thinking of just raising those two hammers to a higher strike point to see if it would help.  I used the original hammer line as a guide when hanging the new hammers (taking wear into consideration of course).
I appreciate any ideas!

------------------------------
Laura Wright, RPT
Ivory Keys Piano Service
Durango CO
------------------------------

Hi Laura

If the string has sustain when plucking it, then the problem is coming from the hammer.  Try a different hammer on the note.  Just switch the one next to it and see if that improves the sound.  You might also try adding some lacquer or B49 to the hammer.

------------------------------
Willem "Wim" Blees, RPT
Mililani, HI 96789
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 12-15-2019 19:11
From: Laura Wright
Subject: Dead sounding tenor strings

Hello all, I recently restrung an 1895 WW Kimball upright, which also required lots of rib regluing. I reused the original bridges, and put CA on the bridge pins which were still relatively tight.  It all sounds pretty good except the bottom two tenor notes (which are wound)  have a nasal sound without much sustain.  The bridge has some downbearing on the back side but none on the front (speaking) side.  When you pluck the strings they ring pretty well but not when you play them with the hammers.
Is there any way to address this problem without major surgery?  I experimented with plucking the string in different places near the strike point and also just hitting it with a spare hammer just above the strike point and it seemed to make a slight improvement.  I was thinking of just raising those two hammers to a higher strike point to see if it would help.  I used the original hammer line as a guide when hanging the new hammers (taking wear into consideration of course).
I appreciate any ideas!

------------------------------
Laura Wright, RPT
Ivory Keys Piano Service
Durango CO
------------------------------

Laura,

Take a small vise grip pliers and clamp it on one of the bridge pins of the notes in question. Then play the note and see if it makes a difference. If it does, this argues that you need to mass load the bridge or soundboard and/or stiffen with a riblet down there. If it makes no difference then the problem is something else. 

You did twist the strings in the right direction...? ☺

Pwg

------------------------------
Peter Grey
Stratham NH
603-686-2395
pianodoctor57@gmail.com
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 12-15-2019 19:55
From: Willem Blees
Subject: Dead sounding tenor strings

Hi Laura

If the string has sustain when plucking it, then the problem is coming from the hammer.  Try a different hammer on the note.  Just switch the one next to it and see if that improves the sound.  You might also try adding some lacquer or B49 to the hammer.

------------------------------
Willem "Wim" Blees, RPT
Mililani, HI 96789

Original Message:
Sent: 12-15-2019 19:11
From: Laura Wright
Subject: Dead sounding tenor strings

Hello all, I recently restrung an 1895 WW Kimball upright, which also required lots of rib regluing. I reused the original bridges, and put CA on the bridge pins which were still relatively tight.  It all sounds pretty good except the bottom two tenor notes (which are wound)  have a nasal sound without much sustain.  The bridge has some downbearing on the back side but none on the front (speaking) side.  When you pluck the strings they ring pretty well but not when you play them with the hammers.
Is there any way to address this problem without major surgery?  I experimented with plucking the string in different places near the strike point and also just hitting it with a spare hammer just above the strike point and it seemed to make a slight improvement.  I was thinking of just raising those two hammers to a higher strike point to see if it would help.  I used the original hammer line as a guide when hanging the new hammers (taking wear into consideration of course).
I appreciate any ideas!

------------------------------
Laura Wright, RPT
Ivory Keys Piano Service
Durango CO
------------------------------

I forgot to mention that I did put some B72 on the hammers and it helped a tiny bit, but there was still that watery nasal tone.

Sent from my iPhone


Original Message------

Laura,

Take a small vise grip pliers and clamp it on one of the bridge pins of the notes in question. Then play the note and see if it makes a difference. If it does, this argues that you need to mass load the bridge or soundboard and/or stiffen with a riblet down there. If it makes no difference then the problem is something else. 

You did twist the strings in the right direction...? ☺

Pwg

------------------------------
Peter Grey
Stratham NH
603-686-2395
pianodoctor57@gmail.com
------------------------------

Laura

the B72 should be added to the inner felt.  Take the hammer off and apply a generous amount from 6 - 9 and 6 - 3.  Also bolster up the inner felt around the molding.   If you need more, add it to the low shoulders on both sides. Let each application dry about 2 or 3 hours.

------------------------------
Willem "Wim" Blees, RPT
Mililani, HI 96789
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 12-15-2019 23:17
From: Laura Wright
Subject: Dead sounding tenor strings

I forgot to mention that I did put some B72 on the hammers and it helped a tiny bit, but there was still that watery nasal tone.

Sent from my iPhone


Original Message------

Laura,

Take a small vise grip pliers and clamp it on one of the bridge pins of the notes in question. Then play the note and see if it makes a difference. If it does, this argues that you need to mass load the bridge or soundboard and/or stiffen with a riblet down there. If it makes no difference then the problem is something else.

You did twist the strings in the right direction...? ☺

Pwg

------------------------------
Peter Grey
Stratham NH
603-686-2395
pianodoctor57@gmail.com
------------------------------

I had a small Baldwin grand in a restaurant that had a middle B with a dull, nasal tone.

I spent literally YEARS trying to track down the cause; seating at the bridge, checking contact points, looking for loose ribs, moving the hitch pin bend up and down...
I never found the source of the problem and I suspect that it was a "wolf tone" or resonate issue within the design or build of the piano itself.

Some problems have no simple cause or solution.

------------------------------
Blaine Hebert
Duarte CA
626-795-5170
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 12-15-2019 19:11
From: Laura Wright
Subject: Dead sounding tenor strings

Hello all, I recently restrung an 1895 WW Kimball upright, which also required lots of rib regluing. I reused the original bridges, and put CA on the bridge pins which were still relatively tight.  It all sounds pretty good except the bottom two tenor notes (which are wound)  have a nasal sound without much sustain.  The bridge has some downbearing on the back side but none on the front (speaking) side.  When you pluck the strings they ring pretty well but not when you play them with the hammers.
Is there any way to address this problem without major surgery?  I experimented with plucking the string in different places near the strike point and also just hitting it with a spare hammer just above the strike point and it seemed to make a slight improvement.  I was thinking of just raising those two hammers to a higher strike point to see if it would help.  I used the original hammer line as a guide when hanging the new hammers (taking wear into consideration of course).
I appreciate any ideas!

------------------------------
Laura Wright, RPT
Ivory Keys Piano Service
Durango CO
------------------------------

I wonder if one of Darrell Fandrich's "riblets" or some mass added under the bridge might have helped.

I'm afraid this is all a mystery to me. No candidates came forward demanding intervention (well, which were worth working on.)

------------------------------
Susan Kline
Philomath, Oregon
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 12-16-2019 01:31
From: Blaine Hebert
Subject: Dead sounding tenor strings

I had a small Baldwin grand in a restaurant that had a middle B with a dull, nasal tone.

I spent literally YEARS trying to track down the cause; seating at the bridge, checking contact points, looking for loose ribs, moving the hitch pin bend up and down...
I never found the source of the problem and I suspect that it was a "wolf tone" or resonate issue within the design or build of the piano itself.

Some problems have no simple cause or solution.

------------------------------
Blaine Hebert
Duarte CA
626-795-5170

Original Message:
Sent: 12-15-2019 19:11
From: Laura Wright
Subject: Dead sounding tenor strings

Hello all, I recently restrung an 1895 WW Kimball upright, which also required lots of rib regluing. I reused the original bridges, and put CA on the bridge pins which were still relatively tight.  It all sounds pretty good except the bottom two tenor notes (which are wound)  have a nasal sound without much sustain.  The bridge has some downbearing on the back side but none on the front (speaking) side.  When you pluck the strings they ring pretty well but not when you play them with the hammers.
Is there any way to address this problem without major surgery?  I experimented with plucking the string in different places near the strike point and also just hitting it with a spare hammer just above the strike point and it seemed to make a slight improvement.  I was thinking of just raising those two hammers to a higher strike point to see if it would help.  I used the original hammer line as a guide when hanging the new hammers (taking wear into consideration of course).
I appreciate any ideas!

------------------------------
Laura Wright, RPT
Ivory Keys Piano Service
Durango CO
------------------------------

Are you sure you twisted them in the right direction?  If the adajacent plain wire string sounds fine then it's probably the string.

------------------------------
David Love RPT
www.davidlovepianos.com
davidlovepianos@comcast.net
415 407 8320
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 12-15-2019 19:11
From: Laura Wright
Subject: Dead sounding tenor strings

Hello all, I recently restrung an 1895 WW Kimball upright, which also required lots of rib regluing. I reused the original bridges, and put CA on the bridge pins which were still relatively tight.  It all sounds pretty good except the bottom two tenor notes (which are wound)  have a nasal sound without much sustain.  The bridge has some downbearing on the back side but none on the front (speaking) side.  When you pluck the strings they ring pretty well but not when you play them with the hammers.
Is there any way to address this problem without major surgery?  I experimented with plucking the string in different places near the strike point and also just hitting it with a spare hammer just above the strike point and it seemed to make a slight improvement.  I was thinking of just raising those two hammers to a higher strike point to see if it would help.  I used the original hammer line as a guide when hanging the new hammers (taking wear into consideration of course).
I appreciate any ideas!

------------------------------
Laura Wright, RPT
Ivory Keys Piano Service
Durango CO
------------------------------

Laura,

Have you tried the vise grip test? This can be very revealing?

Pwg

------------------------------
Peter Grey
Stratham NH
603-686-2395
pianodoctor57@gmail.com
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 12-16-2019 13:28
From: David Love
Subject: Dead sounding tenor strings

Are you sure you twisted them in the right direction?  If the adajacent plain wire string sounds fine then it's probably the string.

------------------------------
David Love RPT
www.davidlovepianos.com
davidlovepianos@comcast.net
415 407 8320

Original Message:
Sent: 12-15-2019 19:11
From: Laura Wright
Subject: Dead sounding tenor strings

Hello all, I recently restrung an 1895 WW Kimball upright, which also required lots of rib regluing. I reused the original bridges, and put CA on the bridge pins which were still relatively tight.  It all sounds pretty good except the bottom two tenor notes (which are wound)  have a nasal sound without much sustain.  The bridge has some downbearing on the back side but none on the front (speaking) side.  When you pluck the strings they ring pretty well but not when you play them with the hammers.
Is there any way to address this problem without major surgery?  I experimented with plucking the string in different places near the strike point and also just hitting it with a spare hammer just above the strike point and it seemed to make a slight improvement.  I was thinking of just raising those two hammers to a higher strike point to see if it would help.  I used the original hammer line as a guide when hanging the new hammers (taking wear into consideration of course).
I appreciate any ideas!

------------------------------
Laura Wright, RPT
Ivory Keys Piano Service
Durango CO
------------------------------

I am going over there tomorrow and I’ll try the vise grips.
David, these are Arledge bass strings and he recommends not to twist them. However, I may try it and see if it helps. At this point, I’m going to try every idea I have!
Thanks to all who responded!

Sent from my iPhone


Original Message------

Laura,

Have you tried the vise grip test? This can be very revealing?

Pwg

------------------------------
Peter Grey
Stratham NH
603-686-2395
pianodoctor57@gmail.com
------------------------------

Call James Arledge and tell him your problem!
He may want to replace the strings.

------------------------------
Ed Sutton
ed440@me.com
(980) 254-7413
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 12-17-2019 09:57
From: Laura Wright
Subject: Dead sounding tenor strings

I am going over there tomorrow and I'll try the vise grips.
David, these are Arledge bass strings and he recommends not to twist them. However, I may try it and see if it helps. At this point, I'm going to try every idea I have!
Thanks to all who responded!

Sent from my iPhone


Original Message------

Laura,

Have you tried the vise grip test? This can be very revealing?

Pwg

------------------------------
Peter Grey
Stratham NH
603-686-2395
pianodoctor57@gmail.com
------------------------------