a few days ago the tuner came....after about 10 years (without being played) and a move...the pianos were also in storage for a year (in good condition, non-humid environment and well maintained).
i felt bad because he said that the pinblock is a bit loose...but I wonder, seeing as the tuning has held very well over these years (it's so true that he didn't have to tighten it much), is it possible?? if they were truly loose, wouldn't I have found it completely out of tune??
another thing..the sound is no longer the same. It's a Petrof but it doesn't sound like a Petrof anymore...the highs are very shrill and no longer beautiful and warm...paradoxically, the sound is much more beautiful now on the Furstein upright that I have..
the tuner spoke of tightening it, but said it doesn't do much because over time it returns to being shrill....
the piano I am talking about is a Petrof from the '80s that I bought used from the heirs of Mr. Silvestri. they told me it hadn't been used much...so how can it have a loose pinblock..?
if I took a photo, would this problem be visible or is it only heard when tuning it?
I am making some hypotheses. The slight withdrawal of the holes is possible and results in the loosening of the flanges. First attempt (assuming they are loose): tapping. Tapping (protecting the soundboard from below with a suitable support, so as not to risk breakage) causes the flange to sink into the terminal part of the still-tight hole and increases its grip.
As far as the sound being too bright is concerned, the hammer felt can be voiced. I don't much like the term "pricking." Voicing is a delicate and complex intervention; it does not consist of pricking the tip of the hammer to make the sound softer. That would only deafen the entire hammer felt. Instead, one must restore energy to the hammer by identifying the areas to be voiced and directing that energy back toward the tip. Then, if anything, a small "pianissimo cushion" is created at the top. If, on the other hand, the hammers have hardened over time, there is nothing to do but replace them with new hammers for that piano with identical shape, weight, and drilling... making sure they return the old ones too... And IT IS IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!! Along with the hammers, the shanks (identical) must also be replaced so as to keep the old hammer felt left mounted intact!
Let me know
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nancy
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Reply 3 by nancy
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Thanks..very useful to know. Next week a technician from Catania who is an expert in renovations is coming and we will see what he says. I will gladly update you.
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nancy
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Reply 4 by nancy
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nancy wrote:
Thank you.. very useful to know. Next week a technician from Catania, an expert in restorations, is coming and we will see what he says. I will gladly update you.
as I imagined, the technician came and told me that the pinblock is doing great and indeed the tuning holds decently....
as for the sound, he said that it could be voiced but that after a short time it would go back to "ringing," especially in the highs.... so at this point I don't know what to do....
i, looking at the serial number, noticed that it is a piano built during the years when the communist regime had expropriated Petrof and therefore in the end "it is a Petrof non-Petrof".
when the family took possession of the company again in 1991, they stated that they had to work quite hard to bring the staff back to high production quality standards.
this would explain (perhaps) why there are such widely different opinions around about this manufacturer.... and mine certainly wouldn't be among the best (on the contrary) pianos produced under this brand.
what I am wondering is if the hammer rail is Renner as the technician said, and if the other mechanical components are still in good condition and not of poor quality, because it loses "timbre" and worsens over time instead of improving....??..... during production, did they save money on some other component that affects the timbre?
- excuse my extreme ignorance regarding this..... I am trying to equip myself and I have also seen Paolo's beautiful tutorials.... but I am still quite ignorant in the matter.....-
Dear Nancy, aside from the fact that I haven't had time yet to listen to your Franck... but I will do so soon. I am preparing a concert that I will play in Rome on December 4th and it is keeping me busy. Let's get to the piano. The fact that the hammer action "rings out again" is normal. It means that the technician intervenes superficially without altering the general timbre, which must evidently remain bright. On the occasion of every tuning, the voicing can be reviewed, which will last quite a long time. By just tuning, many "unpleasant things disappear". One must voice only after having tuned!!!!!! I believe that Petrov is good. Later, the Company improved the design and moved the Factory. Now it installs Renner action. It's true, in the past some actions caused problems, but from a sonorous point of view, I feel like rewarding the instrument... even from that period. A good Technician will know how to enhance it. The timbre seems to worsen because the hammers get marked and also undergo hardening over time. For example, just by replacing the hammers with quality hammers, you could greatly improve the timbre (Hammers suitable for THAT piano!!!....remember to keep the old ones and compare them in shape, weight, and exact drilling!!!!!)
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nancy
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Reply 6 by nancy
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thank you Paolo for your important help....I have finally cleared my head and I am making peace with my pf again.....lately I could no longer feel it in tune. I have decided that I will change the hammer felt... !! its purchase (as modest as it may seem... being a quarter piano) has meant a lot to me emotionally and deserves my care!!!!
wooowww how I would love to be there....Rome is an important stage....I am sure it will be a beautiful concert!!! and clearly I can only wish you good studying!!!!
don't worry at all about Franck...it is a huge piece that is demanding to listen to and you must not feel obligated to do so!!!
after the recording I made, I breathed deeply, gathered the advice I was given, and regained energy in the studio....now it is more fluid and cleaner...and it has clearly also improved on an interpretative level since the execution is more relaxed.....I can fully enjoy it!!!!!
It is not demanding ...it is beautiful and it is one of my favorite pieces. I will find a quiet moment tomorrow to listen to it. I am sure you have given a magnificent performance. You are very hard on yourself. That is fine, but I also like that you reward yourself at the end of a good job. It takes effort! Thank you for the encouragement regarding my program. I hope to do my best. I don't feel as confident about my memory as I once did. I hope it doesn't play tricks on me. It is a program all of new reading and this worries me a little. 5 Scarlatti Sonatas, Beethoven's Waldstein. Chopin's third ballad second movement, some mazurkas (I like them so much that I still have to definitely choose them....only three or four) and I finish with the third scherzo. Let's hope for the best.
If your piano has a quartino, it needs a well-prepared hammer (voicing), especially at the intersection of the string bed. A good Renner or an Abel. In my opinion, Abel makes excellent hammers. The technician can even send samples of the old one so that he, Abel, can see what it is and provide an identical one, or if necessary, make one just as good or even better. I have great respect for the company. But anyway, Renner is also at the top of quality!!!!!
