I like the clockwise tip...I'll give a try. What does the tool look like? I'm using Hart's tool, which I like. I'm trying to visualize "catch the little hook etc." Where are you in the picture? Near the keys? Above the repetition? David I. ----- Original message ----------------------------------------> From: Stéphane Collin <collin.s@skynet.be> To: Pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org> Received: Fri, 12 Nov 2004 18:13:54 +0100 Subject: Re: Steinway D questions >Hi Kurt. >On the Brussels seminar, André tought us the very best way to regulate those >butterfly springs. >With the dedicated tool, if the spring is too tight, just push from above >the upper part of the spring way down. If too weak, then, catch the little >hook on the upper part of the spring, give the tool a little clockwise turn >and pull it a little to you. The idea is to never give a kink to any of the >two branches of the spring, but to work on the coil rather. >When adapting this method to my real life, I found most efficient to roughly >weaken the spring just too much, and then to get it back precisely where I >want it by the pulling and turning movement. Works great. Just forget the >finger bend and massage method. >Best regards >Stéphane Collin >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Kurt" <KurtGearheart@comcast.net> >To: <pianotech@ptg.org> >Sent: Friday, November 12, 2004 5:34 PM >Subject: Steinway D questions >> Hi List, >> >> Just (nearly) finished regulating a Steinway D 9', used ONLY for concert >> work in a hall. >> >> Two problems/questions. >> >> 1. What is the most efficient way to adjust these #$%^%$#^@^ repetition >> springs? Is there a special tool, (other than the custom made piano wire >> hook tool I've made), or technique, to accurately and simply adjust these >> ^%#^$#^ things? The springs are uniformly far too strong and need to be >> weakened a LOT. Rep springs are definitely my least favorite part of >> regulating. I can do this with my custom tool, but hope there is a faster >> more precise approach. >> >> 2. Voicing specific "deadish" notes. These are Steinway hammers. They >> appear to have been soaked with hardeners, and have very little soft felt >> left on top after a minimal shaping I had to do. In addition, a previous >> tech overhardened them, then yet ANOTHER tech needled them down to >> compensate for the first tech. There are about six notes from the upper >> tenor to low high treble that have nearly no sustain but a harsh attack, >> insufficient loudness, and seem to have an extremely annoying tonal "hole" >> between the fundamental and the highest partials. In other words, one >> hears the fundamental which dies quickly, then very high metallic >> harmonics, but no to little octave/octave fifth harmonics. Hammers are >> fine aligned to strings, let-off is slightly less than 1/16th, notes are >> regulated exactly like their neighbors, strings are seated on bridges, >> strings have been leveled, and hammers are correctly fitted to strings. >> Picking the strings seem to indicate poor response in the strings rather >> than a hammer problem, but the repeated work by other techs before me make >> me wonder. Slightly moving hammer alignment does nothing. Moving tonally >> good adjacent hammers to problem note does very little as well. Could >> these be "dead spots" relative to soundboard/bridge responsiveness? Could >> the hammers themselves have been "killed"? Suggestions how to get mid >> harmonics back in and longer sustain and louder volume greatly >> appreciated. >> >> Thanks in advance. >> >> PS to Joe Garrett: I AM using the company you suggested for the square >> grand hammers. >> ;-) >> >> _______________________________________________ >> pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives >> >> >_______________________________________________ >pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
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