Pianotech

  • 1.  Bosendorfer V bar

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 09-05-2022 10:42
    Check out this V bar from a Bosendorfer 225. I'm surprised more strings weren't breaking considering the way this thing was shaped. Actually quite surprised overall.
    Filed flat with a sharp edge at speaking length
    Blackened bearing surface
    Even better view.
    And what's more is that this thing was WAY overloaded with downbearing with a widespread average of 5mm (measured in the traditional way with fishing line)  completely squashing the crown out of the soundboard. 

    I have cared for this instrument for many years and I long suspected the excessive downbearing due to its behavior  but certainly did not expect to find a V bar looking like this. I have a lot of reshaping to do. 

    Peter Grey Piano Doctor 


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    Peter Grey
    Stratham NH
    (603) 686-2395
    pianodoctor57@gmail.com
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  • 2.  RE: Bosendorfer V bar

    Posted 09-05-2022 13:09
    That should be easy enough to file a proper profile. Famous last words....

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    Regards,

    Jon Page
    mailto:jonpage@comcast.net
    http://www.pianocapecod.com
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  • 3.  RE: Bosendorfer V bar

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 09-06-2022 00:31

    That's interesting.  I have a Bos 225 that is a notorious string breaker and I've suspected for awhile that it's the V bar that is the problem.  I may have to look into this further.  Please keep us posted on how this develops with your changes. 






  • 4.  RE: Bosendorfer V bar

    Posted 09-06-2022 07:37
    In the second photo, there is a crack developing to the right of the fourth wire from the left. Or is it just in the outer finish.

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    Regards,

    Jon Page
    mailto:jonpage@comcast.net
    http://www.pianocapecod.com
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  • 5.  RE: Bosendorfer V bar

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 09-06-2022 07:51
    Jon 

    It's a scratch...but I thought the same thing when I saw it in the photo. Checked for integrity...all good. 

    I'm pretty happy with the way it came out. Comments welcome. 

    Peter Grey Piano Doctor 



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    Peter Grey
    Stratham NH
    (603) 686-2395
    pianodoctor57@gmail.com
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  • 6.  RE: Bosendorfer V bar

    Posted 09-06-2022 08:01
    Looks a lot better. What radius did you shoot for?
    How much will it increase the speaking length?
    Will you need to rescale?
    Strike point might be an issue up top.

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    Regards,

    Jon Page
    mailto:jonpage@comcast.net
    http://www.pianocapecod.com
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  • 7.  RE: Bosendorfer V bar

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 09-06-2022 16:57
    The radius I shot for was the radius that looked good 😀.  I'd say there's less than a mm at the tip and I left a hint of the old string marks. Not sure if that's all that much of an issue or not.  (I'll try to measure the angle to see what it comes out to).

    I probably increased the speaking lengths by a tad less than a mm. No plans to alter the scale. I suspect (and hope) that this one little mod is going to.open up the treble quite dramatically. It has always been choked, hard to tune, and not very stable compared to the rest of the piano. In all actuality I think strike point will improve in the high treble, but since I'm doing hammers too I can deal with that. (Vee hof vays off dealing vis daht).

    I'll talk about the hammer situation later.

    Edit:  Stupidly I did not take a picture of the treble wires but they have a very strong "crease" and indentation in them where they exited into the speaking length. No wonder it didn't tune easily! And still a wonder that they weren't snapping right and left. 

    Peter Grey Piano Doctor

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    Peter Grey
    Stratham NH
    (603) 686-2395
    pianodoctor57@gmail.com
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  • 8.  RE: Bosendorfer V bar

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 09-06-2022 17:55
    About a 100 degree overall angle and a "knuckle" like radius (if that makes any sense).

    Peter Grey Piano Doctor

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    Peter Grey
    Stratham NH
    (603) 686-2395
    pianodoctor57@gmail.com
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  • 9.  RE: Bosendorfer V bar

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 09-06-2022 18:14
    David L.,

    What year is your Bosie?  This one is 1979. Eric Johnson says this was a transitional time when Bosendorfer was just entering the US market. 

    Incidentally the balance rail on this one has no studs. It just floats in the air (and flexes too). Odd...

    Peter Grey Piano Doctor

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    Peter Grey
    Stratham NH
    (603) 686-2395
    pianodoctor57@gmail.com
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  • 10.  RE: Bosendorfer V bar

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 09-07-2022 15:41
    Slight correction...I think I increased the speaking length about 1.5 mm on average with this mod. Should that ve a problem?

    Peter Grey Piano Doctor

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