Caster Cups

[Garret E. Traylor]

A few years ago while I was in Washington D.C., our chapter invited Heiner
Sandwald (of Fazioli fame) to give a seminar at David Hughes shop in Baltimore MD
(Reisterstown actually). Caster Cups eventually became a topic of the weekend long
conversation.  Incidentally, Dave's shop has a concrete floor. And yes, eventually
caster cups were placed under the grand and we all definitely heard a marked
improvement to the sound of the piano.  What was generally agreed on as an
improvement in the quality of the sound was due to increased sustain.

Heiner described ... sound travels through all parts of the piano, in the
soundboard, the rim, hinges, keys, action, legs, everywhere.  A (good) sustained
sound in the piano is the result of sound being reflected again and again
throughout the piano until it finally dies out.  If you place your hand on the leg
of a piano you can feel the vibration travel down.  If that sound is lost to the
floor then the sustain time is reduced and the sound is therefore not permitted to
return back up the into the instrument.  If however, the sound is permitted to
return back into the piano then this is good.

Just a bit of my experience.
Sincerely;
Garret Traylor
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Garret Traylor
Equal Temperament Services
PSC 482 Box 14
FPO, AP 96362-0014
(Okinawa Japan, Kadena Air Force Base)
Associate Member at Large
Piano Technicians Guild
Washington D.C. Alpha Chapter
Web: http://www.EqualTemperament.com
E-mail: traylorg@EqualTemperament.com
E-mail: garret@kdn0.attnet.or.jp
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