Stupid Question

[Delwin D Fandrich]

atonal@planet.eon.net wrote:

>     I measured the Baldwin L in the showroom, and from the back of the
> case, it was 6'1.5"  However, Case length, with or without lid
> overhang, is a poor way to compare instruments (as any technician
> knows) This is a sales tool.
>     Bass string measurement is a little more pertinent to the quality of
> the grand in question, although this too is an abused by many
> salesfolk. We have a Young Chang 7' and a Baldwin 7', case lengths
> are within an inch of each other, but the YC has considerably shorter
> bass strings, there is about eight inches of plate between the hitch
> pins and the rim, versus three inches (on average) on the Baldwin.
> The YC is a decently prepped instrument, and yet it sounds like a
> six-footer.
>     Happy Friday,
>
> Rob Kiddell,
> Registered Piano Technician, PTG
> atonal@planet.eon.net

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I agree that case length may not be the best way to compare pianos, but surely it is a more valid basis for comparison than
is the length of a single bass string.

When a person goes shopping for a piano there are three considerations that outweigh all others:
    1)  How does it sound and/or perform. How responsive is the action? Etc.
    2)  Will it fit into the space available? I.e., how long and how wide is it?
    3)  How much does it cost? Can I afford it?
Unfortunately, these factors will not necessarily be considered in that order. Indeed, performance is often not considered at
all, except through the glowing description of the salesman/woman.

Obviously, case length should be considered without the lid overhang. Unless, of course, someone has figured out how to make
the lid overhang an acoustically functional part of the piano's design. To the best of my knowledge, only Steinway and Walter
specify the length of their pianos this way. The Walter W-190 is just over 190 cm from the back of the case to the front of
the keybed. I'd be delighted to learn that there are others following this practice.

The speaking length of note A-1 is an almost meaningless basis for comparison. Unless, of course it is accompanied by some
additional information. Such as the length of the back scale, the grain angle of the soundboard, the rib design used, the
type of bridge used, the location of the bridge on the soundboard, etc. Certain data about that string should also be
included, such as the core diameter and its overall diameter. You should probably also include the type of hitch pin used
since it will also affect how that A-1 bass string performs.

When laying out a new piano scale, the length of that string is way down on my list of priorities. Very little playing time
is spent on A-1. How often have you seen that particular hammer really worn out? Of much greater concern is the clarity and
quality of tone in the bass section overall, the uniformity of tone across the bass/tenor break, the dynamics and sustain of
the tenor and treble -- particularly the "killer octave." Etc. These things cannot be adequately defined in a brochure or in
a comparative listing in a price guide.

It is a sad commentary on the piano industry that it has been reduced to selling "features" instead of performance. In the
end, it's only the music that matters.

Del