BoLFeb02-01

Table of Contents


Baldwin laying off workers, closing a facility? robert goodale

----- Original Message -----
From: robert goodale <rrg@nevada.edu>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, February 01, 2001 1:49 AM
Subject: Baldwin laying off workers, closing a facility? robert goodale

This afternoon on my way to a tuning appointment I heard during a
news break that Baldwin is laying off 250 employees and closing
down one of it's production facilities. My Partner Alan Meyer
later told me he heard the same report. Anyone know any details?


Rob Goodale, RPT
Las Vegas, NV

[ Top of Page ]

Work wanted in NYC; Marco de Lellis

----- Original Message -----
From: <marco.delellis@tiscalinet.it>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, February 01, 2001 5:31 AM
Subject: work in N.Y.city

Italian Piano Tuner, Restorer and Repairer (Rome). Many years experience in the restoration of antique instruments - pianos, harmoniums, Accurate finishings of ebanisteria , French polishing. Will reply to all offers of work in the N.Y. city area. Marco de Lellis

[ Top of Page ]

Yamaha C6 damper stop (Marcel Carey)

----- Original Message -----
From: Marcel Carey <mcpiano@globetrotter.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, February 01, 2001 5:43 PM
Subject: Re: clicking Yamaha C6


This problem is usually caused by the capstan (loud pedal stop) being
misadjusted. There is a capstan below the keybed that is supposed to stop
the pedal. The leather on the lever usually gets crunched after playing a
lot and the capstan does have to be regulated. Otherwise, you will find that
the pianist will use the pedal to push up on the damper lever stop rail and
in a few weeks, the problem will reoccur.
The Yamaha way to regulate the capstan is to fully depress the loud pedal
and visually inspect damper movement by pulling on them or playing sharps
fff. There should be 1 or 2 mm movement.

Marcel
Marcel Carey, accordeur technicien
(819) 564-0447
mcpiano@globetrotter.net
----- Message d'origine -----
De : "Ron Koval" <drwoodwind@hotmail.com>
À : <pianotech@ptg.org>
Envoyé : 2001-février-01 19:44
Objet : clicking Yamaha C6

> Hi everyone!
>
> Today worked on a C6. I noticed some faint clicking on the downstroke
> mostly in the low register. I wondered if I was going to find some loose
> underlever leads, (I haven't made those cool pliers yet) but it turned out
> that the upstop rail was set just high enough to let some underlevers
'tick'
> against the sostenuto rail with firm test blows.
>
> something to watch for
>
> Ron Koval
>
> Chicagoland
>

[ Top of Page ]

HT's choosing (Avery) (Charles Ball)

----- Original Message -----
From: Avery Todd <atodd@UH.EDU>
To: <caut@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, February 02, 2001 8:59 AM
Subject: HT's (was Re: bars.)

Charles,

Reason #4 sounds like the best reason of all! I love it! LOL.

We just got through with productions of Euridice (in 1/6 Comma
Meantone) and Marriage of Figaro (Prinz). The only complaint I
had was when we had them try Figaro in the Meantone so maybe I
wouldn't have to retune for every performance but it was a
little too strong for them somewhere in the last half. :-)

The Prinz is a "little" strong on chords like Db major & Gb major
but not as much as the Meantone. The Musical Director said it
helped to give the recitatives some 'drive'.

I'm getting there. Little by little. Now if I could just get some
Jazz in a Meantone. :-)

Avery

>BTW, Ed, a piano faculty member is performing the Goldberg Variations
>this weekend on harpsichord and piano, with the hps tuned unequally.
>I will give a brief talk about the differences. I chose to use the
>Kirnberger temperament, because (1) he was a student of Bach, (2) it
>has just intervals in the basic key of the piece, (3) it has big
>color contrasts, (4) the name sounds somewhat like a sandwich.
>
>
>Warm regards,
>
>Charles
>--
>Charles Ball, RPT
>School of Music
>University of Texas at Austin
>ckball@mail.utexas.edu

______________________________________

mailto:atodd@uh.edu - Work "I haven't failed. I've
                                      found 10,000 ways that
mailto:avery@ev1.net - Home won't work."

Avery Todd -Benjamin Franklin-
Moores School of Music
University of Houston
Houston, TX 77204-4201
713-743-3226

[ Top of Page ]

7/8 Keyboard (David Porrit) (Horace Greeley)

----- Original Message -----
From: David M. Porritt <dporritt@swbell.net>
To: <caut@ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, February 04, 2001 1:19 PM
Subject: Re: 7/8 Keyboard, was Piano Horse

Horace:

You send the original keyboard with the action stack to DS Keyboards, and
he makes a new keyboard and returns both to you. You can simply substitute
one keyboard for the other whenever you want. The alignment and fit are
quite amazing when you consider he has the keyboard but not the piano.
Check out his web page at http://www.dskeyboards.com/

Each keyboard is made specifically for 1 piano. There are simply too many
variations to make a keyboard that will fit other pianos. One added plus,
he analyzes the keyboards for geometry problems, so you can send him an
action that plays like a truck (as I did) and he'll return you a smaller
keyboard with corrected geometry. The action I sent him had MANY leads in
the keys, and played very heavy. The one I got back was really quite nice.
 Because of the geometry problems is was definitely the "second" piano in
this teacher's studio and seldom used. Now it is heavily used.

I'm quite impressed with the work he does. He holds a patent on the way he
compensates for the extreme key flair that becomes necessary to align the
narrow keys with the full stack. It works very well.

Do check out the web page. It is quite informative.

dave
*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********

On 2/2/01 at 9:44 AM Horace Greeley wrote:

Dave,

This is most interesting, I would like to send along some appropriate
information to a few teachers I know out here. Can you let me/us know
more? Since this is aftermarket, in a sense, does the keyset care what kind
of piano it goes into (well, ok, generally, anyway)?

Also, stuff like, did you do the fitting on the B?etc.

Thanks!

Horace

At 11:32 AM 2/2/2001 -0600, you wrote:

Horace:
 
Actually, Danny didn't have anything to do with our 7/8 keyboard. We got
it from DS Keyboards just this year. David Steinbuhler is trying to
promote the concept of smaller keyboards for people with small hands, and
hopes recital venues will sometime get alternate keyboards for their
concert instruments. We are already contemplating one for one of our "D"s.
 
 
We are the first University to have one of these, and this teacher is doing
a lot of research on how it affects players, how they adjust to it, how
they cope with going back and forth with full sized keyboards, how it
affects physical strain on the hands and arms, etc. It's an interesting
project. She is going to be teaching for a week at our summer campus in
Taos, NM, bringing 3 pianos with reduced keyboard to that campus for the
week. I've suggested that I should go for the week to take care of the
pianos etc., but I don't think they are taking me seriously! Oh well!
 
I hope we can get a "D" reduced keyboard, but first we have to do some fund
raising on that.
 
dave
*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********

On 2/2/01 at 8:45 AM Horace Greeley wrote:
Dave,

So, having just given Danny a sound, and, I might add, richly deserved
thrashing, about I recommend that he get you another 7/8 machine?
Perferably, a D.

Fact is, different attempts have come and gone over the years with this
problem. None of them have been overly successful. Obviously, part of
that is that there has not been the market push behind it that there is
now. At the same time, the wunderkindlein do need to remember that, unless
there name is something like "Kissin", they are not going to be in a
position to do much except play whatever they find on stage - and, they
need to just learn to live with that truth.

And, no, none of us have any business moving pianos. What we can do is one
thing. What we should do (personally and/or professionally) is something
else again.

Best.

Horace


At 10:18 AM 2/2/2001 -0600, you wrote:
We have a reduced size keyboard piano that several students are working on.
 It is a Steinway "B" in a teacher's studio. Naturally, these students
want to do their recitals on it so we're looking at moving it from the
studio to the recital hall 2 or 3 times a semester.
 
I have scrupulously avoided anything that even looks like piano moving in
the past, calling professionals when we have had a need. Fortunately we
have lots of professional movers here in Dallas, and we haven't moved
pianos all that much. This 7/8 keyboard changes all that.
 
Do any of you use the "piano horse" that I've seen at conventions? Is it a
practical thing to consider? Can one person really move a piano with one?
Can an out-of-shape 61 year old consider doing this?
 
Help!!!!!
 
dave

David M. Porritt
dporritt@swbell.net
Meadows School of the Arts
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX 75275

....................................

> from laminated maple. Is this so, and do you think the use of this material

makes little difference except a minute amount of inertia. Leverage
correction by properly locating the capstan line or balance rail will
more than offset this situation by requiring less lead out front on a
grand key.

After all, it is a lever.

It's the cost that is upsetting.

Newton

Kent:

The keys are indeed laminated maple. The material is obviously heavier
than sugar pine, but since the keys are narrower they don't seem to be
appreciably heavier. I don't know what kind of difference the material
would make. They are stronger than pine, and probably somewhat more
ridged. As long as the key ratio is right it seems to play nicely. The
narrower keys do need the additional strength of that material. David did
a lot of research on the strength of materials before he chose the
laminated maple.

dave

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********

On 2/4/01 at 2:10 PM Kent Swafford wrote:

>on 2/4/01 1:19 PM, David M. Porritt at dporritt@swbell.net wrote:
>
>> I'm quite impressed with the work he does. He holds a patent on the way
he
>> compensates for the extreme key flair that becomes necessary to align
the
>> narrow keys with the full stack. It works very well.
>
>I am under the impression that the keysticks in these keyboards are made
>from laminated maple. Is this so, and do you think the use of this
material
>instead of the more traditional softer wood makes a difference by itself?
>
>Thanks,
>
>Kent Swafford


? wrote:
> > from laminated maple. Is this so, and do you think the use of this material
>
Newton responsified:
> makes little difference except a minute amount of inertia. Leverage
> correction by properly locating the capstan line or balance rail will
> more than offset this situation by requiring less lead out front on a
> grand key.
>
More important is the relative stiffness, which is very significant in
terms of action dynamics, given the forces invovled. Here's an example to
illustrate: haprsichord keyboards were generally made of hard woods like
lime, as were keyboards of English pianos with English actions (I mean
the ca 1800 pianos here). Keyboards of pianos with Viennese actions, almost
without excpetion, were made from coniferous wood. There's more than just
inertia involved in the dynamics, or we wouldn't have action saturation.

stephen

Stephen Birkett Fortepianos
Authentic Reproductions of 18th and 19th Century Pianos
464 Winchester Drive
Waterloo, Ontario
Canada N2T 1K5
tel: 519-885-2228
mailto: birketts@wright.aps.uoguelph.ca

Horace:
 
Actually, Danny didn't have anything to do with our 7/8 keyboard. We got it from DS Keyboards just this year. David Steinbuhler is trying to promote the concept of smaller keyboards for people with small hands, and hopes recital venues will sometime get alternate keyboards for their concert instruments. We are already contemplating one for one of our "D"s.
 
We are the first University to have one of these, and this teacher is doing a lot of research on how it affects players, how they adjust to it, how they cope with going back and forth with full sized keyboards, how it affects physical strain on the hands and arms, etc. It's an interesting project. She is going to be teaching for a week at our summer campus in Taos, NM, bringing 3 pianos with reduced keyboard to that campus for the week. I've suggested that I should go for the week to take care of the pianos etc., but I don't think they are taking me seriously! Oh well!
 
I hope we can get a "D" reduced keyboard, but first we have to do some fund raising on that.
 
dave
*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********

On 2/2/01 at 8:45 AM Horace Greeley wrote:

Dave,

So, having just given Danny a sound, and, I might add, richly deserved thrashing, about I recommend that he get you another 7/8 machine? Perferably, a D.

Fact is, different attempts have come and gone over the years with this problem. None of them have been overly successful. Obviously, part of that is that there has not been the market push behind it that there is now. At the same time, the wunderkindlein do need to remember that, unless there name is something like "Kissin", they are not going to be in a position to do much except play whatever they find on stage - and, they need to just learn to live with that truth.

And, no, none of us have any business moving pianos. What we can do is one thing. What we should do (personally and/or professionally) is something else again.

Best.

Horace


At 10:18 AM 2/2/2001 -0600, you wrote:

We have a reduced size keyboard piano that several students are working on. It is a Steinway "B" in a teacher's studio. Naturally, these students want to do their recitals on it so we're looking at moving it from the studio to the recital hall 2 or 3 times a semester.
 
I have scrupulously avoided anything that even looks like piano moving in the past, calling professionals when we have had a need. Fortunately we have lots of professional movers here in Dallas, and we haven't moved pianos all that much. This 7/8 keyboard changes all that.
 
Do any of you use the "piano horse" that I've seen at conventions? Is it a practical thing to consider? Can one person really move a piano with one? Can an out-of-shape 61 year old consider doing this?
 
Help!!!!!
 
dave

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
David M. Porritt
dporritt@swbell.net
Meadows School of the Arts
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX 75275

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
David M. Porritt
dporritt@swbell.net
Meadows School of the Arts
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX 75275

[ Top of Page ]

Breaking E2 hammer sliding action in (Christopher D. Purdy)

----- Original Message -----
From: Christopher D. Purdy <purdy@oak.cats.ohiou.edu>
To: <caut@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, February 02, 2001 2:18 PM
Subject: Re: Accidental Stupidity
Breaking E2 hammer sliding action in (Christopher D. Purdy)

><<The unusual aspect is that it isn't # 1 or #88
>as usual, but E2. Right at the tenor break, bass side! How in the
>#$%^&&** did I manage to break off "that" hammer? :-(
>>>
>
>you slid the action in crooked and it hit the horn, don't ask me how I
>know......
>Ed.

Our new D has that problem. I too learned the hard way that the action has
to go in very straight or else... I broke that one fifteen minutes before
a big recital. The pianist is the panicy type so I quietly repaired it
with CA glue and didn't tell her until after the show.

chris

-Christopher D. Purdy R.P.T.
-School of Music, Ohio University
-Athens, OH 45701
-mailto:purdy@ohio.edu
-(740) 593-1656 office
-(740) 593-1429 fax

[ Top of Page ]

7/8 keyboard

Horace:
 
Actually, Danny didn't have anything to do with our 7/8 keyboard. We got it from DS Keyboards just this year. David Steinbuhler is trying to promote the concept of smaller keyboards for people with small hands, and hopes recital venues will sometime get alternate keyboards for their concert instruments. We are already contemplating one for one of our "D"s.
 
We are the first University to have one of these, and this teacher is doing a lot of research on how it affects players, how they adjust to it, how they cope with going back and forth with full sized keyboards, how it affects physical strain on the hands and arms, etc. It's an interesting project. She is going to be teaching for a week at our summer campus in Taos, NM, bringing 3 pianos with reduced keyboard to that campus for the week. I've suggested that I should go for the week to take care of the pianos etc., but I don't think they are taking me seriously! Oh well!
 
I hope we can get a "D" reduced keyboard, but first we have to do some fund raising on that.
 
dave
*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********

On 2/2/01 at 8:45 AM Horace Greeley wrote:

Dave,

So, having just given Danny a sound, and, I might add, richly deserved thrashing, about I recommend that he get you another 7/8 machine? Perferably, a D.

Fact is, different attempts have come and gone over the years with this problem. None of them have been overly successful. Obviously, part of that is that there has not been the market push behind it that there is now. At the same time, the wunderkindlein do need to remember that, unless there name is something like "Kissin", they are not going to be in a position to do much except play whatever they find on stage - and, they need to just learn to live with that truth.

And, no, none of us have any business moving pianos. What we can do is one thing. What we should do (personally and/or professionally) is something else again.

Best.

Horace


At 10:18 AM 2/2/2001 -0600, you wrote:

We have a reduced size keyboard piano that several students are working on. It is a Steinway "B" in a teacher's studio. Naturally, these students want to do their recitals on it so we're looking at moving it from the studio to the recital hall 2 or 3 times a semester.
 
I have scrupulously avoided anything that even looks like piano moving in the past, calling professionals when we have had a need. Fortunately we have lots of professional movers here in Dallas, and we haven't moved pianos all that much. This 7/8 keyboard changes all that.
 
Do any of you use the "piano horse" that I've seen at conventions? Is it a practical thing to consider? Can one person really move a piano with one? Can an out-of-shape 61 year old consider doing this?
 
Help!!!!!
 
dave

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
David M. Porritt
dporritt@swbell.net
Meadows School of the Arts
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX 75275

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
David M. Porritt
dporritt@swbell.net
Meadows School of the Arts
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX 75275

[ Top of Page ]

Piano Horse

----- Original Message -----
From: Ward & Probst <wardprobst@cst.net>
To: <caut@ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, February 03, 2001 9:54 AM
Subject: RE: Piano horse

Dave & Jon,

After the moving crew fought over the Piano Horse last year, I ordered one
for myself. I use it to move grands around the shop and find it a very
useful tool. It does not eliminate all lifting but makes the drop more
controllable and enables me to turn a grand with my spouse balancing things.
Inserting the dolly, I use boxes copied after Gordon's design and a jack. I
lift less than I do tilting an upright player on a folding tilter.
By the way(you knew this was coming)
Gordon Crail (the inventor) will be teaching two classes on piano moving in
Reno. He has developed a Stair Jockey that is interesting which is why I
said you should call him on the recent stair move Jon. Anyhow, it will be
interesting, Gordon is a real pro at piano moving.
Best,
Dale
Dale Probst, RPT
Member, TEAM2001
PTG Annual Convention
Reno, NV --July 11-15, 2001
email: wardprobst@cst.net
(940)691-3682 voice
(940) 691-6843 fax
TEAM2001 website: http://www.ptg.org/conv.htm

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-caut@ptg.org [mailto:owner-caut@ptg.org]On Behalf Of Jon
Page
Sent: Friday, February 02, 2001 1:07 PM
To: caut@ptg.org
Subject: Re: Piano horse

At 01:09 PM 02/02/2001 -0500, you wrote:
> > Is it a practical thing to
> > consider? Can one person really move a piano with one? Can an
> out-of-shape 61 year old
> > consider doing this?
> >

I saw the 'piano horse' in action in Arlington. Very impressive.

In talking with the inventor, the present model only drops the piano onto a
skid board,
then it has to be up-ended to get a dolly underneath. so you'd still need
help, I rather
just have the help to drop the side onto a dolly and lift it up. It's about
the same amount
of strain. 8-|

I mentioned that a model which dropped the piano directly onto a dolly
would interest me,
he said that he's working on that idea.

Regards,
Jon Page, piano technician
Harwich Port, Cape Cod, Mass.
mailto:jonpage@mediaone.net
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[ Top of Page ]

new ivory info

----- Original Message -----
From: <Ritchiepiano@AOL.COM>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, February 02, 2001 6:46 PM
Subject: Re: new ivory info

In a message dated 2/2/01 2:39:10 PM Eastern Standard Time,
Rjwag@pacifier.com writes:

<<
 Hi Lance,
 
 Perhaps the flier you are refering to came from David Warther in Ohio(?)
 He sells new sets of legal pre-ban ivory.
 
 Although I've never purchased any from him, I know people who have, and
 they were very pleased. Also, my own reaction to having spoken with him on
 the phone is that he's very honest and would be a pleasure to deal with.
 
 Finally, when I talked with him, he said that he prefers calls in the
 evening *after* regular business hours.
 
 Here's the info.
 
 David Warther Carvings
 1387 Old Route 39
 Sugarcreek Ohio 44681
 (330) 852 3455
 
 Good Luck,
 
        Richard Wagner RPT
  >>
The Columbus Chapter visited the Warther Museum last year.
Mr. Warther was a gracious host. He is an incredible ivory carver. He
carves sailing vessels and is attempting to trace their history,
starting from Egypt. He was working on the USS Constitution.
>Paul you can fill in the blank spaces on the "boats"
Very interesting guy, many of the tusks come from the estates
of the old Rubber Baron types. Call him. The Chapter has some
photos .
Mark Ritchie RPT
Cols.OH

[ Top of Page ]

Kawai model numbers (Don Mannino)

----- Original Message -----
From: Donald Mannino <DonMannino@mediaone.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, February 03, 2001 8:25 AM
Subject: Re: Yamaha U3 puzzler

David,

I have a chart posted on Kawai's web site regarding Kawai grand models over the years. It doesn't have the years of production, but it shows what the sizes are and their relationship to other models by scale. www.kawaius.com click on Tech Talk.

Kawai's upright models are beyond my understanding, except those sold since 1995 when I started working there.

Don Mannino RPT

At 09:33 AM 2/2/01 -0800, you wrote:

  I have always wondered about the letters and thought they had to be included
  in the serial number...thanks Don Manino for your clarification. Something
  that has always bothered me is the continuous new model numbers, for
  instance in Kawai. I, for one, would love a print out of model
  number/letter history of a manufacturer. I can't keep up. Is this
  possible, Don....what I'm looking for is for instance: KG-2C, introduced in
  ?, dis-continued in ? this would be very helpful!

  David I.
  

[ Top of Page ]

performance

----- Original Message -----
From: Avery Todd <atodd@UH.EDU>
To: <caut@ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, February 03, 2001 10:14 AM
Subject: Re: Angela Hewitt

Gina & List,

Chris O'Riley is in the hall practicing now and seems very nice. He
definitely remembered you and told a couple of stories. All flattering,
don't worry. Hmm, I wonder if he has any of the _other_ kind? :-)

>Regarding Chris, what an absolute joy with whom to work! He's one of the
>most versatile and talented performers today. (Picky about the voicing,
>doesn't want any note standing out.)
>
>Please give Chris my best.
>
>Gina

He took all of about a minute to choose which piano to use. The reasons
for pianist's choices are always interesting to me. Recently, a Chopin
Competition winner performed here and he chose the newer one because
it's a "quicker" action. Chris chose the other one because he felt like
he had more control with the rebuilt one. He liked both and seemed
pleased that we had two such good instruments. Maybe the particular
program he's playing also had something to do with his choice.

He did a program in Santa Barbara last night at USC (?). Said it was a
good piano but it had had new hammers put on last summer and he felt
they had been over-lacquered.

I've never heard most of the pieces he's playing, so it should be an
interesting recital. For anyone interested, here's the program.

===================================================
Sonata No. 3 in A minor, Op. 28 - Prokofiev

Apollon musagete [Apollo] - Stravinsky

Prelude and Fuge in F-sharp major - Shostakovich
Prelude and Fugue in E-flat minor - "

Sonata No. 8, Op. 66 - Scriabin

Islamey (fantasie orientale) - Mily Balakirev
====================================================

Since this whole thread started from a posting about Angela Hewitt,
here's her program also:

Capriccio in B-flat Major on the Departure - J.S. Bach
   of his Most Beloved Brother

Toccata in C Minor - J.S. Bach

Variations and Fugue in E-flat Major - Beethoven
          ("Eroica" Variations)

Miroirs - Ravel

Apres une lecture de Dante: Fantasia quasi Sonata - Liszt
        (from Annees de Pelerinage II, No. 7)

I haven't met Angela yet, so wish me luck. I hope it's as easy as it
was with Chris.

Avery

[ Top of Page ]

Plate postiton, action position

----- Original Message -----
From: Horace Greeley <hgreeley@stanford.edu>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, February 03, 2001 11:30 PM
Subject: Re: Positioning Plate/Action


Terry,

I am coming in late on this but am wondering if, in addition to the 52mm
length (good choice), you have also checked to see if whatever passes for a
capo is actually linear, without bends, curves and/or deflections toward
what would be the keybed as you move upward from the tenor to the top
treble? If things are truly as screwy as they seem to be, you might need
to try to work out the plate height from whatever you can reconstruct of
the proper regulation of the action. I think I would set some samples
throughout the action, and then set the plate height using sample "strings"
(maybe 12 or 11.5, something light enough to not cause problems, but
sufficiently heavy to not deflect too much while measuring). Someone used
to make/sell large flat head machine screws with allen sockets that were
great for this kind of thing. The screws would (sort of) self-thread into
the holes for the perimeter plate screws, then the plate was set on top of
them, and the allen key could be used to adjust the height of the
plate. Quite inventive, and a real time saver. Traditionally, for S&S,
the plate height (for the treble) was measured at note 62 (with the
assumption that the capo was quite straight). I cannot speak for how other
makers do this.

Best.

Horace


At 10:37 PM 2/3/01 -0600, you wrote:
> >Anyone have any input on whether I should go with a 52 mm or a 47 mm
> >speaking length? Or best way for me to decide? If it is likely that the 52
> >mm speaking length and 9.5 mm strike point combo is right in the typically
> >good functioning ballpark, I'd rather stick with that - it will be easiest
> >for me. Any input?
> >
> >Terry Farrell
>
>No contest. I'd go with the 52mm any day, and position the strike point
>wherever it sounded best when all was said and done.
>
>
>Ron N

In reference to the screws Horace was referring to:
They are called cap screws, and if you get 1/2" OD thread 7/8" face with a
5/16" hex, then prepare the plate lag hole by drilling out about 1/2" down
with a 7/16" bit, then thread the cap screws down and place the plate on
them, you can go through the plate lag holes with a hex wrench and adjust
height. Ideally, the cap screws should be milled so that the top face is only
40-50 thousandths so that it will flush out on the soundboard. New, the cap
screw head has a bevel which will open out the hole in the soundboard if not
milled down. This is particularly true on Steinway with thick plate bosses
which sit down practically on and sometimes in the soundboard. This idea, by
the way, which I've been using for years for plate bearing setting along with
bridge kerfing techniques, was originally from Nick Gravagne; see also his
class at the Reno meeting on grinding plate bosses.

Paul Revenko-Jones

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