fortepianos

[Steve Brady]

Dennis, our Regier has solid brass bass strings, but, again, it is a
Walter copy from the late 18th cent. I've examined early 19th cent. Grafs
in Vienna, and they do have wound strings in the low bass. Another thing
our Regier/Walter has is triple stringing in the upper treble, which
makes aural tuning a real trip (the upper treble always rebounds more
than the double-strung remainder of the piano). Tuning this piano became
much easier when I got my AccuTuner.



On Tue, 14 Feb 1995, Dennis Johnson wrote:

>
>
>         As long as we are on to this topic I might as well add I have had
> regular experience with some of Margaret Hood's pianos.  In fact I just
> tuned a large Streicher copy again this morning.  I don't want to speak too
> loudly but in case anyone else is also in this market, I do not recommend
> her pianos. This particular one has been trouble all along, and the
> craftmanship is not impressive.  Regardless, I do know her as a friend
> because several of her pianos are in this area and if her latest
> instruments are improved, as she claimes, then great, but they would have a
> long way to go.
>         If nothing else this instrument is a good plug for Dampp-chaser.  I
> was getting a pitch range of + or - 60.0 cents throughout the year, but
> today the A was right on after 3 months.
>
>
>         Of the instruments I have seen by Wolf and Reiger, the Wolf
> (Streicher) was very sweet sounding, and relatively consistant throughout
> its range.  The Reiger (Graf) has a bigger sound with more timbre contrast
> from top to bottom but what bothered me a little were the modern copper
> wound low bass strings.  The craftsmanship on both were excellent.  Steve,
> does your Reiger also have modern copper wound bass strings?  This Graf is
> supposed to be about 1817 I think, and I'd suprised to see wound strings on
> a Walter, but they aren't authentic for this Graf either.
>
>
>
> Dennis Johnson
>
>

Steve Brady, RPT        "The most expert and rapid tuners are...
University of Washington       possessed of a highly excitable,
sbrady@u.washington.edu        nervous, and emotional temperament,
                         verging on the border of insanity at times."
                              -Daniel Spillane, The Tuner's Guide