Down on the Hitch Pin Web

[Bill Ballard]

At 7:06 AM -0700 6/24/98, Don Mannino wrote:
>Bill,...... People like Heiner have a lot of experience around plates and
>what they can take, so personally I feel like I should know what they know
>before I do what they do!
>
>Don Mannino

Well said, Don,. For all I know, I was witnessing a self-fullfilling
prophesy radiating outwards from the pianist,  and thanks to everyone else
who contributed, I now know a little bit more. From what I gather,
web-reefing is like safe-cracking: it's all in the fingertips.

It's clear that the musicians underestimated the attenuating effect of the
small room on what was already a good board futher amplified by a booming
dining hall. But by Friday afternoon, I'll have some guide notes from the
pianist in those top two sections which I filed, and I'll be doing whatever
voicing can accomplish in this situation.

on Wed, 24 Jun 1998 "Jim Coleman, Sr." <pianotoo@IMAP2.ASU.EDU> went:
>My take on your situation is that you would have to crank down quite a bit
>more to see any change on your dial indicator as far as downbearing is
>concerned. The soundboard is more flexible than the plate, so it goes along
>with minor changes in the plate.

I hadn't considered that idea. I'd been thinking of Nick Gravagne's PTJ
article which seemed to imply that this was the practise of  factory
stringers looking to help out some thin db. Which suggested that while the
board is certainly more flexible than the plate, it would still be stiffer
than the additional string load and would stand steady enough to yield the
extra db.

Bill Ballard, RPT
New Hampshire Chapter, PTG

"taken beyond the proper balance ('power and musical tone'). additional
power comes always at the expense tone quality, a sacrifice no designer or
piano technician should ever willingly make."
    Dell Fandrich, on priorities in the design of console pianos in  the
'Piano Technicians Journal' (4/98)