"restoring" crown with springs

[Carl Meyer]

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Thanks to all who responded.
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Ron Lindquist=20
  To: pianotech@ptg.org=20
  Sent: Sunday, April 22, 2001 3:13 PM
  Subject: Re: "restoring" crown with springs


  At 01:24 PM 4/22/01 -0400, you wrote:

    In a message dated 4/22/01 3:38:38 AM Central Daylight Time,=20
    dnereson@dimensional.com writes:=20



      To Carl Meyer:=20
         A long-time technician for the public schools here in Denver =
has used=20
      springs to "restore" the crown in some pianos (mostly studios and =
old=20
      uprights), and with successful results, i.e. better tone, longer =
sustain,=20
      more volume.   He gave a technical at a chapter meeting some years =
ago, and=20
      it would take a while for me to find my notes, but briefly, he =
used angle=20
      brackets fastened to the backposts, automotive valve springs, =
fender=20
      washers, and adjustable bolts to vary the pressure.  I believe the =
spring /=20
      fender washer / bolt assemblies, one fastened to each backpost, =
pressed=20
      directly on the ribs, probably behind the long bridge.   Seems he =
may have=20
      let the tension down first in some cases, or maybe just in the =
bass, I=20
      don't remember, but I could look it up.  Anyhow, the results were =
quite=20
      impressive.  He didn't recommend it for fine pianos, mind you, but =
to bring=20
      some life to an old piano that would otherwise be junked, it was a =
fairly=20
      quick and inexpensive cure.    Sincerely, David Nereson, RPT, =
Denver=20

      Dave:  I'm sure there are a lot of questions and variations about =
how to do this.
      Ford or chevy valve springs?  etc,etc.

      Details at your convieneince would be appreciated.

    This sounds like a good way to restore some life into older pianos, =
but the=20
    question remains, is it worth it? Is the time and materials spent to =
doing=20
    this process worth the end result? How long lasting is this process? =


    Willem=20
  Willem:  Time and materials are always a consideration.  Twisting bass =
strings may not be worth it.  May not last long etc.
  If springs added to a soundboard makes a usable improvement I think it =
could be a worthwhile exercise if a simple procedure could be worked =
out.  I don't see any reason the improvement wouln't be long lasting.


  Wondering  about loading of sound board-----can't vibrate freely , or =
rather how it was intended. !  Would not waste my time.----I heard of a =
guy-on a grand ,  that jacked up under the Bridge cut a 2x4  and let it =
sit for a time .   Real nice work if you can get it.

  Ron:  I had a hard time figuring out what you were saying.  I guess if =
you jacked up a bridge and propped it up for maybe double the age of the =
piano, it might just do a little good.  I wouldn't want to wait that =
long.

  I would only do this to a piano that I personally owned, to make it =
more saleable musically in addition to cosmetically.

  There are a lot of upright pianos that are gorgeous, but mediocre in =
tone.  Making them sound good too is in my opinion a noble undertaking.

  Thanks for the response.

  Carl Meyer=20
  R.R.R.=20


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