[CAUT] Mason & Hamlin agraffes

[David Love]

Finding replacements can be a problem.  First check with Schaff to see if
they don't have some of that size in stock (I don't remember the thread
count or diameter but it's something odd).  Since they are not likely to
have a whole set, I would then go to Pianotek as they have a system for
retrofitting the plate to receive new agraffes of standard size.  It's a
very handy and relatively simple system involving drilling out the plate and
tapping for a new insert which will receive the standard sized agraffe.  

 

David Love
davidlovepianos at comcast.net
www.davidlovepianos.com 

-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Donald
McKechnie
Sent: Sunday, January 06, 2008 7:42 PM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: [CAUT] Mason & Hamlin agraffes

 

Happy New Year List!

 

A relatively new private customer of mine has a M&H A from the 1920's and it
exhibits some unpleasant buzzing sounds in the tenor section. Some notes are
worse than others. I have tried several times to lessen the problem but it
is never to the complete satisfaction of the owner. (BTW, I'm the second
technician she has employed to deal with this piano. The first gladly turned
this over to me :-) Things I have tried included various hammer voicing
techniques that deal with buzzing strings (I would like to see this
particular set of hammers replaced but I do not think they are the problem),
manipulating the strings in the front and back of the agraffe and installing
string couplers on the strings at the front side of the agraffe. The only
thing that has lessened the buzzing is the couplers but the problem tends to
come back some time after installation. I've tried adding more couples and
placing them in different positions but this is never enough for the
customer at some point after my visit.

 

>From my experience with Steinways that have similar problems, this buzzing
will be solved with replacing the agraffes. Yes, I understand one can
recondition agraffes to be like new in some cases but I mostly prefer to
replace with new. I believe the agraffes on this M&H need to be replaced to
solve this problem. I have a S&S B in the shop now that exhibits pretty much
the same problem. Michelle and I replaced one of the worst agraffes and
restrung with new wire. Problem solved. I plan to show this piano to my
customer.

 

I have never replaced agraffes on a M&H. So, any help from experienced M&H
folks is greatly appreciated. I have heard from some local technicians that
this can be very problematic. Is it true that these agraffes may have odd
sized threaded stems and are not available? Will I experience any problems
trying to unscrew them? Given that they do not look too bad, can I expect
these to recondition like new? I have some reamers that Chris Robinson was
recommending some years back. These look like good tools to do the
reconditioning job. Any other reamers you recommend? I have not looked for
the Journal that dealt with all things agraffe but plan to do so tomorrow.
Anyone know off hand what month and year that was?

 

Thanks much for any comments and suggestions.

 

Don

 

 

Don McKechnie

Piano Technician

Ithaca College

dmckech at ithaca.edu

607.274.3908

 

 

 





 

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