Are Loose Bridge Pins a Big Deal?

[Farrell]

Are loose bridge pins and false beats a concern of piano owners? Do they
care? I certainly realize that most piano owners do not hear them. But if
someone is buying a new or used piano and you have been retained to inspect
the prospective purchase, are false beats something to identify as a defect?

I generally think so. If the piano is new, in my opinion there should be no
false beats (I realize most pianos will have a few imperfections in string
clarity, and I suppose at some point a new piano owner may choose to simply
accept some minor defects such as this - or should he/she?).  If the piano
is a used good quality/design piano and there are false beats they should be
identified and explained to the prospective purchaser that whereas they are
common, they are not the way it is supposed to be, there are some pianos of
this model/age that will have no prominent false beats, and that the high
treble will never sound well tuned because of the false beats. One could
also explain about CA bridge pin treatment, and epoxy repairs. If the piano
is a 1952 Cable-Nelson spinet that is being sold for $350, I might not even
bother mentioning the 93 strings in the treble and hi-treble that have
prominent false beats (although, I likely would mention it, but also say
that most pianos like this will have many prominent false beats and it is
just part of the package).

Especially with regard to new and good used pianos, what do you folks think
of the importance of identifying false beats to a prospective purchaser of
the piano? I think a false beat is at least as important to identify as
perhaps a loose tuning pin, a visually cracked bridge (at the base of a
tuning pin), or some such defect. I wonder sometimes if I am being too
nit-picky. Thanks.

A cute related story: I inspected a new Baldwin L for a guy and I identified
about 150 cracks on the bridge top at the base of nearly every bridge pin.
The piano was one horrid false beat. When you hit a key the sound was that
of cymbals crashing, rather than a piano string (the dealer claimed that
nice rich tone was the rear duplex scaling - "you tuners want all pianos to
sound like a Yamaha!"). The guy decided not to buy it. He then went to look
at a new Mason & Hamlin B (I think - the 5' 8" job). He told the dealer
(different one) that he wanted his piano tech to inspect it, and told him
his experience with the Baldwin. The M&H dealer knows me, as several years
ago I had done floor tuning for him. The M&H dealer later told me that he
called M&H and told them to be sure to have the factory techs go through the
piano with a fine-toothed comb because the piano was going to be inspected
by a third party when he received it. The piano was fine. Nadda, nadda false
beat to be found. Does this mean I am developing a national reputation? Is
this a good thing? Am I being too nit-picky?

Terry Farrell