Steinway model Z weak bass

[Fenton Murray]

I serviced an Acrosonic a couple years ago that had a completely dead bass. 
Like an electric guitar not plugged in. I was able to move the bridge around 
on it's apron a little confirming a bad glue joint. After loosening the 
strings the bridge came off in my hands, not a drop of glue was ever applied 
to the joint. After gluing and screwing everything was fine. The piano must 
have sounded like that from the time it was new.
Fenton
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ron Nossaman" <rnossaman at cox.net>
To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2008 2:15 PM
Subject: Re: Steinway model Z weak bass


>
>> Ron N, I enjoyed your comments about not being fooled, by an end-hinged 
>> top lid, into thinking it's a grand!.  I have a customer with a Feurich 
>> upright which also has an end-hinged lid, but instead of a removable 
>> hinge-pin, it has two very solid brass hinges with brass dowels which 
>> plop and slide beautifully into bushed holes in the side panel. Lovely 
>> piano, reeks quality and craftsmanship.
>
> I don't have any uprights, but I do service one Feurich grand. Poor string 
> rendering has just about rendered it untunable, but it's a terrifically 
> built piano. Lid's hinged on the side too... <G>
>
> About your Steinway bass bridge, check bearing and crown there, bridge 
> apron joints, perimeter joint, and the possibility of anything being 
> wedged between the soundboard and plate. Then consider the strings. The 
> usual stuff. Try to inspect and if possible test every potential cause. I 
> was asked by a dealer years back to look at a piano they had taken in on 
> trade. The bass was dead, but they were sure it would be a simple fix. I 
> looked it over and didn't find anything to account for it, so we ordered a 
> couple of strings as a test. When installed, the new strings were  as dead 
> sounding as the rest, which surprised all of us. They had meanwhile found 
> someone to unload the piano on, so I never did get to chase down what the 
> actual problem was. Frustrating.
>
> Ron N
>
>