Hi, Vince. Interesting post. Off the top of my head, one piano that incorporated this very system was J&C Fisher, whom we discussed a couple of months ago. Around the turn of the century they did indeed use copper for the lowest, double-wound single strings and iron for all the rest of the single-wound strings. To modern eyes, the combination of the two dif- ferent types of windings appears somewhat strange. Perhaps appearance-- especially in a grand piano--was one argument in favor of using copper through-out? On Mon, 7 Apr 1997, Vince Mrykalo wrote: > In response to iron vs copper wrap, I offer this from > "Proceedings of the Conference of Piano > Technicians": (Remarks were made by > string-maker E. Johnson from Schaaf Piano String > Co. from Chicago in 1916): > "If a dull tone is desired we find the copper wires > act to better advantage than the iron." > also: > "We do not advocate an entire set of iron strings - > the last ten strings should be copper. This is due to > the fact that the diameter of the core is so much > less than the diameter of the covering wire. On fine > strings we have found where the same weight of > hammers is used and on the same scale, the iron > strings give better results. I do not know just what > the reason is." > and: > "The value of copper bass strings is only > salesman's talk. He is the one who went outside > and popularized it. Later, when you offered your > piano with iron strings, he told you everybody was > using copper strings. A lower copper string is > superior to iron. I recommend copper on the lower > 10 strings, but on the finer strings better results may > be had with the iron." > > Vince Mrykalo > BYU > > >>> Dave Sanderson <pianobiz@juno.com> > 04/04/97 05:46am >>> > Phil > Steel has been used throughout history only when > copper was not available > (times of war) or just too expensive(trying to save a > buck). Its' > properties of sound production have no merit > above copper, in fact its' > hardness and its' rusting make it an inferior choice > to copper. > >From all I can tell it is a myth that manufacturers > preferred steel or > used it to create a particular sound. High cost > and/or shortages appear > to have been the driving factors. This is proven by > the fact that as soon > as copper did become available again ALL > manufacturers switched back to > copper immediately. > > David Sanderson > Littleton, MA > Pianobiz@juno.com > On Fri, 04 Apr 1997 05:29:25 -0500 (EST) Phil > Bondi <tito@peganet.com> > writes: > >...came into a dealers store a while ago..it's a > project for me when > >it's > >slow..question..it has steel-wound strings..never > seen this > >before..someone > >wanna give me a history lesson..??..!!..?? > > > > > > > > > >
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