Foote Rattlers (also EXPENSIVE safety pins! - cps)

[cpstout]

Don Mannino wrote:
> 
> Ed,
> 
> I have never heard a small, almost invisible or hidden crack make a
> sound all through the bass that sounds like a rattle. A crack or small
> separation will buzz, but not rattle.
> 
> A large separation will rattle, but it would be obvious.
> 
> The way you described it, this almost has to be something hidden on
> the board, like a coin or marble or something heavy like that.
> 
> Use a strong light and a dentist's mirror and look at the ENTIRE
> soundboard. Don't stop looking until you are sure you have inspected
> every square millimeter of the board. You will find something. Be sure
> to look under the bridge loop (between bass and treble bridge section)
> and under the bridge cutouts (if any - I haven't seen a B in a while)
> for a coin. They are very hard to see.
> 
> Don Mannino RPT


Dear Ed and Don:

I concur with Don Mannino advice on the soundboard troubles.  Reminds me
of the time I billed a neighboring city  Dr and received no payment even
after several statements.      

    Some time later I visited with a good tuner/technician friend and
happened to mention this non-payment to him.  He then responded that he
had not had any payment troubles with the Dr. AFTER he luckily bumped a
safety pin from a hole in the grand's plate!  (I certainly could have
purchased quite a supply of pins with the tuning payment I did not
receive.)  Come to think of it, that was the last time I never received
either a payment or reason for non payment in some twenty years work!!

	Thanks for listenin'. 		Clarence (Clancy) Stout R.P.T.
					Holyoke, Colorado
> 
> ----------
> From:   A440A@aol.com
> Sent:   Thursday, September 11, 1997 8:58 AM
> To:     pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject:        Foote Rattlers
> 
> Greetings all,
>      Ummm ,   HELP!!
>     I have run into a soundboard rattle that I cannot squelch.  It is
> a
> Steinway B, (Hamburg).  and there is a buzz on all the bass notes.  It
> is
> presently in a very high-dollar recording studio, so it absolutely has
> to be
> fixed.  Here is what I know about it;
>     Light pressure on the board, under the cut-outs around the bend
> between
> bass and treble areas will stop it, but wedging a small wedge between
> the
> board and bridge here will not.
>      From under the piano, I can lightly tug on the lowest three ribs
> and
> hear a scrunch,scrunch sound which sounds like splintered wood.  When
> doing
> this, the sound seems to come directly from the bridge.
> There are not visible cracks or repairs on the board or bridge in this
> area,
> and the buzz seems to be somewhat humidity dependant.
>    So,  shall I drill small holes from underneath, into the bottom of
> the
> bridge assembly, then fill with glue and hammer in shoe-plugs hoping
> to force
> glue into any opening inside this area?  This is what I may try,
> assuming
> that there is a separation in the board, under the bridge.  The edges
> of the
> board are tight, and there is no discernible separation between ribs
> and
> boards.  The dowels all appear to be tight.
>     Ideas, anyone?
> Thanks,
> Ed Foote
> Precision Piano Works
> Nashville, Tn.