False Beats

[Farrell]

Isolate several strings that offend. Play them, listening to false beats. Place solid object (tip of pliers, brass rod, anything with mass and is solid) atop bridge pin of that string. Push directly down (try several pressure amounts - too little and pin is not held steady, too much and you kill that lively plywood soundboard). Play note. Dollars to donuts all or most of false beat will go away. If so, repair with one of several methods.

Quick and dirty: apply thin CA to bridge pins as is.

Pretty darn good: remove strings, pull pins, epoxy in holes, insert pins.

Best: recap bridge.

Ultimate:................. No, no, I'll get too much flack for that!

If false beat does not go away - it's something else! (I find that a good 90% of false beats are related to loose bridge pins.)

Terry Farrell
  
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "William R. Monroe" <pianowrmonroe@hotmail.com>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, March 01, 2002 8:13 PM
Subject: False Beats


List,

I serviced a 1973 Kimball Grand today that has some serious false beats in the upper tenor and treble sections.  Tried dressing them to the bridge and did not noticeably help.  Looked over key points and everything seems to be in order (bridge pinning and notching look good, agraffes seem to be applying adequate downpressure).  Is there anything I may have overlooked before I suggest replacing some of the offenders?

William R. Monroe
Associate PTG
Salt Lake City, UT