Reqest: an answer to a poor European gringo

[Antares]

My dear colleagues,
A couple of days ago I sent this post to the list.
It took me some time to put the (english) words together, to type them onto the screen, to retype some phrases, and finally I pushed on the "send Now" button.

I had fun and I rubbed my tired hands and my last words to y'all were :

"I will patiently wait behind my box, and hope for the best (a breeze)..."

Actually, I am not patient at all! I am the nervous type..allways on time, 20 minutes too early on the train etc...
So I waited and waited impatiently, and lo and behold!

One colleague (thank you David ilvedson) sent me a letter back! ONE!!

I had asked the advice of the giants in pianoland, the (American) hero's of the piano industry....

I feel left out.....snif...
I am dissappointed...snif...
What have I done wrong?
Is there somebody with a (piano heart) ?
A stern and firm senior with tons of wisdom?
A motherly pianotechnica with a piano heart of GOLD?
A bright young genius, a piano brat who dares to kick some middle aged shins?

But no...snif
I must maybe learn to be really patient.....snif
I  will give it one more desperate try!
It is my duty!

here it comes nogmaals meaning..."AGAIN"

>Dear colleagues,
>One of the things I have heard about, is affecting the tone (of a grand 
>piano) by working on the hammer shank. 
>At one time, I was for a learning period in the Bösendorfer factory, and I 
>had trouble with tuning a certain tone in the treble.
>I complained about this to the instructor, and what he did amazed me....
>First he took out the action, pulled the hammers upwards, and tapped on 
>the heads with a piece of wood.
>He then discovered that the hammer that gave me trouble, gave a different 
>sound. it was either higher or lower in pitch.
>He took out the hammer, pulled off the hammerhead and replaced the shank 
>with another one after having made sure that the pitch of the hammershank 
>was about the same as the neighboring shanks. 
>After this procedure tuning was, as I recently learned from you (english 
>speaking) guys, "a breeze"...(I like that one! and I will now use it many 
>times... so if you already know yet a new expression, do >yourself< a 
>favour!!!)
>
>Now...I do understand why the treble hammers in more expensive instruments 
>have been made thinner, but I have also heard, that one could "voice" the 
>sound by "working" on the shank, by scraping off some wood hear and there.
>I do not have actual experience with this and I am sure that amongst us 
>there will be some giant who has more accurate knowledge about this.
>
>As I read many posts about oval and round shanks, I understand that the 
>issue is weight and volume (w&v).
>I am for the moment however curious about the alteration of the shank, not 
>for the sake of loudness, but for subtle changes in timbre.
>
>I will patiently wait behind my box, and hope for the best (a breeze)...
>
>
>
>Friendly greetings from :
>          
>CONCERT PIANO SERVICE
>André Oorebeek
>Amsterdam, the Netherlands
>       
>‰  where MUSIC is no harm can be  ‰
>
>
>


Friendly greetings from :
          
CONCERT PIANO SERVICE
André Oorebeek
Amsterdam, the Netherlands
       
‰  where MUSIC is no harm can be  ‰