David Love wrote: > John: > > I would not disagree with these criteria at all. The definition of what > constitutes a problem, however, is something on which reasonable people > might reasonably disagree. Yes I agree. But isn't it also possible that a problem such as a clean transition from wound strings to plane wire requires a different solution depending on the type of piano in question? In the case of a Baldwin upright I do think we have to go back to the drawing board but in the case of a fine grand like the Steinway A I mentioned before you can spend all of five minute and the problem is solved. > For example, that you are able to cover up > scaling problems with judicious voicing is not necessarily a reason to > dismiss rescaling as another option, is it? Covering up a problem? My word, it sounds like you think I am sort of piano hack! If a few strokes with the voicing needle is a cover up for poor scaling then tuning is a cover up for loose tuning pins. I don't think we will ever get to the point of refinement in this area were a good technician will not be able to tell the difference between a wound string on the bass bridge and a plane wire on the tenor bridge. While in theory there remains room for improvement it just wouldn't be worth the effort to re-engineer it away when there is an easy answer at the end of a needle. As I said before I don't find problems with the scales on the Steinway grands I work on. But if I worked on Steinways that had been poorly rebuilt or ones that are in poor condition I certainly would have problems with the transition from bass to treble. The solution is still not going to be a major re-scaling. I have done some re-scaling when I used to work on other makes such as Beckstein and I do minor re-scaling to Mason and Hamlins. I think I know when a piano needs to be re-scaled and the Steinway grand just doesn't have problems in this area. Instead of re-scaling I think we better learn how to un-scale. With all of the moving of bridges and other changes some people are making we better have a way to get these pianos back to were they were. Somebody in the future my what to learn something from them. > My impression from reading > your previous posts on the subject was that you felt there was no reason > that Steinway belly designs and/or scaling should be modified, even > slightly. Am I correct in that impression? Or am I misreading you. Well I think you are misreading me. I would never say that "there was no reason that Steinway belly designs and/or scaling should be modified". No mater what I do I always end up modifying them. You just can't stop that since every piece of wood, felt, metal etc. is different. Sometimes I make changes to improve the durability of the piano or to customize it to fit a client. But everything I do is aimed at restoring the vitality of piano so it can be put back into service making music. I am resurrecting the piano not using its carcass as raw material for a creation of my own. Some of the methods I have been reading on this list make me think there is more interest in piano building than piano re-building. Moving bridges, moving ribs, grinding down the hitch pins, grinding the plate so there is more room to move the bridge... Wouldn't it be easier and better to just start from scratch and build your design without the limitations of working on top of someone else's work? Even Rembrandt started on a new canvas. If one is really interested in making a new piano THEN ONE SHOULD DO JUST THAT. I don't care what the "re-engineers" do with the average sort of piano out there but I hope there is some way to discourage them from using this valuable resource as raw material for their creations. Someone may actually what a Steinway someday. Gasp! John Hartman RPT John Hartman Pianos [link redacted at request of site owner - Jul 25, 2015] Rebuilding Steinway and Mason & Hamlin Grand Pianos Since 1979 Piano Technicians Journal Journal Illustrator/Contributing Editor [link redacted at request of site owner - Jul 25, 2015]
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC