Overstretched solid string?

[Horace Greeley]

Travis,

I'm sorry to say that I am not at all surprised by your experience.

Also, don't look for "lacquer" per sé in those hammers.  More than
likely, it's acetone and keytop.  Make sure you have lots of sharp
needles, plan plenty of time, "play" with a few hammers (to see 
where the stuff is concentrated), and work judiciously.

Above all, trust your own ears.

(Can't stand that nasty sound, myself - all pop and no core.  I haven't
yet found a way to like to that much.  Just put me over in that corner
with Les...)

Good luck.

Horace



At 12:31 AM 11/11/97 -0600, you wrote:
>Hi list:  Someone might be interested in my recent experience with a new
>S&S D. It is a new piano bought 18 months ago and at a small college I
>tune for.  From the beginning I had trouble with the bass side string of
>F2 (at the cross over). Impossible to get a clean unison. The string had
>a sound that seemed similar to that of cheaper instruments with inherent
>cross over problems. Not the even false beat sound of riding up the
>bridge pin although I tried tapping at the bridge with no effect.  One
>might call the sound whangy.  Voicing changed quality a little but did
>not fix the problem. The center string (extension of the bass side) had
>a little of the same problem.
>
>People at the school had not complained but I did discuss the problem
>with the head of the department on the day I tuned for a visiting
>artist, and promised to ask the experts on the internet about it. That
>evening I attended the concert with a customer and friend of mine who
>has a S&S L. This friend has "perfect pitch". At intermission she said,
>"The second F below middle C has a bad, harsh sound-- metalic." The
>performer was heavy handed and kept hitting that note with full force.
>Would you believe that the very next day some of you people were talking
>about string problems and I believe it was Del that said a string can be
>stretched too near the yield point and affect its quality. I went
>streight away (as I think our British friend would say) and installed a
>new string and EUREKA !, problem solved. Why didn't I have the courage
>to try changing the string months ago? Oh well, expensive new
>piano----new string stretching problems--- no one said "that's awful.
>Fix it!" My, my my.
>
>Another thing I have been concerned about is an overall harsh sound
>which I am convinced is the result of too much lacquer. With this heavy
>handed performer and every piece showing off his technique which was
>quite good, the piano sound was not what one would hope for. Bass
>clarity was lost and muddy at one point. When the piano was first
>delivered it obviously needed voiced and this was promised by the dealer
>who would send his technician. When he finally arrived I was away and
>did not get to observe his work, so do not know what he used or how
>much, but he certainly increased brilliance, which had been asked for.
>With the department head approval I will use the needles to see what I
>can do, but what I would like to do is install a new set of hammers.
>
>Travis Gordy RPT
>
>
>
Horace Greeley

Systems Analyst/Engineer
Controller's Office
Stanford University

email: hgreeley@leland.stanford.edu
voice mail: 650.725.9062
fax: 650.725.8014