[CAUT] Press vs Stab voicing

[Jim Busby]

Thanks Fred. Wish I could have been there.

What did you think of the blue points?

JIm Busby
________________________________________
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Fred Sturm [fssturm at unm.edu]
Sent: Thursday, July 01, 2010 6:58 PM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Press vs Stab voicing

The Bösendorfer voicing class at Las Vegas had some interesting
elements pertaining to this thread. Ferdinand Braeu (I believe the
Klavierbaumeister of the factory) uses a stab technique for the pre-
voicing, with needles about 11 mm long, burying them to the hilt in
the low to mid shoulders, less penetration moving up. For finer
voicing, he uses a press method (for precision of placement).
        Another interesting tidbit: He does una corda voicing, using a
fixture very similar to the one I have described, but with #9 needles
held in fixture made from a hammershank flange (narrowed and tapered).
5 needles, spaced about 1.5 mm apart. Inserted at the point midway
between the string "grooves" (as the point where the shift stop is
set) about 3 mm deep. He had the hammers shifting until you couldn't
see any felt to the bass side of the left string. I would have thought
you would want to see just a wee bit myself, but I am reporting what
he said, what he repeated when I asked very specifically, and what I
saw in the piano.
        VERY particular about mating hammer to strings.

        I also did the all day with Baldassin, Spreeman, and Jack Brand
(owner of Wurzen Felt, maker of Weickert), on the Renner Blue Points.
Baldassin and Spreeman are adamant needle pressers, not jabbers.

        Just thought I'd share this.

Regards,
Fred Sturm
fssturm at unm.edu
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness." Twain