Soundboard Evaluation

[Farrell]

How could that be? If there was no bearing, then you tap the strings down,
if they moved down, you should now have negative bearing. How could you then
end up with positive downbearing? I'm confoozed! Thanks

Terry Farrell

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tom Servinsky" <tompiano@gate.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, June 15, 2001 7:16 AM
Subject: Re: Soundboard Evaluation


Terry,
One other thing to check before ripping out old board. This might sound too
simple but have you tapped down the strings on the bridge?  Believe it or
not the rise of strings on the bridge can be misleading.  We have an awesome
Steinway Empire B we are doing at this time. During teardown I had my
employee take the downbearing readings. There was little or no bearing
throughout the piano. When I studied his findings the numbers didn't add up.
I knew their was plenty of crown and couldn't understand how those readings
could be so low. I had him tap down all the strings ( front and  back of
bridge) and we ended up with considerable bearing.
Anyhow those are my 2 cents.
Tom Servinsky,RPT
----- Original Message -----
From: "Greg Newell" <gnewell@ameritech.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2001 11:51 PM
Subject: Re: Soundboard Evaluation


> Terry,
>     My two cents, FWIW, may seem contradictory to your plan of attack. I'm
not
> too sure that this piano is worth all that in the eyes of it's owner. It's
> really an art piece for them, no? Donated by some VIP but they never
really
> intend to be used? I know you want to make it the best you can and be
proud to
> call that your work but I wonder if anyone there really cares as long as
it's
> still standing.
>     Could you not lower the plate to achieve the downbearing your looking
for?
> Might not be ideal but more expedient and less expensive. Is it worth a
thought
> as a backup measure? I've no doubt that you'll make it a better instrument
no
> matter where you go from here. Just make sure that it's not only in the
pianos'
> best interest but the customers' as well.
>
> Greg
>
> Farrell wrote:
>
> > Looking for a second (or third!) opinion on a soundboard. This is the 5'
4"
> > Knabe grand that I just finished installing a keybed in. I just flipped
it
> > over and put the action in (it actually fit in - yeaaaa!). Piano sounds
a
> > bit weak and has a bad killer octave area. I measured for downbearing
with
> > the goofy little three point brass thingee. Absolutely ZERO downbearing
on
> > the whole long bridge. Everywhere. Zero. Never saw that before. A little
bit
> > of bearing on the bass bridge. Checked for crown with the string.
Excellent
> > even 3/32" crown roughly centered under long bridge for the two tenor
> > sections, about 1/16" to 1/32" crown for the lower part of the treble
> > section, and zero crown for the upper treble section (exactly where the
> > killer octave area starts!) and the high treble section.
> >
> > I'm gonna have one more go with the owner (a hospital - my guy who makes
the
> > piano decisions is the dude you call to have a light bulb changed or if
you
> > get stuck in the elevator) about rebuilding. I need to decide how
heavily I
> > am going to push a new soundboard. The board has no cracks. I had to
glue
> > the tenor end of the long bridge back to the soundboard a few year ago
> > because it was buzzing.
> >
> > I clearly feel a new soundboard is needed to bring the piano up to its
> > potential. But, playing devil's advocate, most of the board has good
crown -
> > why not just recap the bridges and put in appropriate downbearing -
although
> > admittedly this would be tough in the high treble where there is already
a
> > flat board - although hard to measure the little bit of crown that
> > would/should be there.
> >
> > I say if the plate is coming out for new bridge caps, give it a new
board
> > also - otherwise they will likely have a very lackluster bla piano.
> > Waddayasay???
> >
> > Terry Farrell
>
> --
> Greg Newell
> Greg's Piano Forté
> 12970 Harlon Ave.
> Lakewood, Ohio 44107
> 216-226-3791
> mailto:gnewell@ameritech.net
>
>