Plate Ringing

[Kevin E. Ramsey]

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    Thanks, Allen. Actually, it's quite unsettling to approach a piano =
in which the whole piano kind of "rings", and not to be able to find any =
particular reason for it. I did do pretty much what you suggested when I =
was there, though. I splayed my hand out across about a thirteenth on =
the strings, and then tried playing a chord in a neighboring region of =
the piano. Didn't seem to make a difference. That's why I came to the =
conclusion that it was "pandemic" to that particular piano.
    I just couldn't figure out why it would ring like that, and not have =
any real damper function problems.=20
    I put in a call to Kent Webb today, and never heard from him, but to =
be fair, I mentioned that another tech was calling on the same topic, so =
he may have responded to him, and I haven't heard about it yet.


Kevin E. Ramsey
ramsey@extremezone.com=20
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Allan L. Gilreath, RPT=20
  To: pianotech@ptg.org=20
  Sent: Friday, June 08, 2001 5:21 AM
  Subject: RE: Plate Ringing


  Kevin,

  I've never been able to trace down a ringing sound to a plate.  =
However, you might eliminate some possibilities by trying some different =
troubleshooting.  Get a strip of wood (oh say 3/4" x 3/4") and whatever =
length is easy to work with (12"-18") with a strip of thick soft felt =
glued to one edge.  You press this strip against a large group of =
strings and eliminate any leakage that the dampers are letting through.  =
This works especially well when a damper leak is occurring at a =
sympathetic vibration other than the fundamental (or when the =
fundamental of the string is the sympathetic vibration from another =
note.

  Makes it easy to find these kind of problems and would eliminate =
problems in the damper system before you start trying to change any =
plate resonance.  Personally I would much prefer to make some changes in =
the dampers than to the plate...

  Hope this helps.

  Allan
  Allan L. Gilreath, RPT
  Assistant Director - TEAM2001
  July 11-15, 2001 - Reno, NV
  agilreath@mindspring.com
  http://www.ptg.org/conv.htm
  Director: Laura Olsen, RPT
  Assistant Directors: Allan Gilreath, RPT - Gary Neie, RPT - Dale =
Probst, RPT=20

    -----Original Message-----
    From: owner-pianotech@ptg.org [mailto:owner-pianotech@ptg.org]On =
Behalf Of Kevin E. Ramsey
    Sent: Thursday, June 07, 2001 10:47 PM
    To: pianotech@ptg.org
    Subject: Plate Ringing


        I had an odd occurrence today that I really hope that you all =
can help me with. I had a customer who has a new Steinway model 4510 =
(model 45?) studio, with damper problems. When I got out there, it's =
kind of a damper problem, but not really. The problem is;

    A)  The whole piano rings, when you play a chord or any note in a =
staccato fashion.

    B)  The pedals are not lifting the dampers.

    C) The spoons are not too early, the strings have plenty of follow.

    D) The dampers are aligned properly.=20

        In short, no real problem with the damper system. What I did =
notice while working on the trapwork was that if I stuck the plate with =
the heel of my hand, the whole piano would ring. When you struck the =
piano anywhere, it would ring.=20
        I did notice that some of the bi-chords where indented by the =
strings, but they had plenty of follow-through.
        The waste ends on the hitch pin side of the strings were already =
braided.=20
        I tried striking notes with my hand on groups of strings, and no =
effect. I strummed groups of notes and found nothing leaking. And yet =
the whole piano had a real ring to it.=20

        I'm just wondering if the plate, being sand cast, could have =
warped and twisted enough to cause some weird tension on it which would =
cause it to ring like a bell. I mean, if something as massive as a plate =
wanted to ring, could you really expect the energy to go up the strings =
to be damped by little pieces of felt? =20
        I hope that someone can help me out. Tomorrow I call Kent Webb, =
and see if he can help.
        One interesting note here. This piano was just purchased three =
months ago. I looked it up in the Atlas, it was produced in '96.
         =20


    Kevin E. Ramsey
    ramsey@extremezone.com=20

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