Another Broadwood

[Delwin D Fandrich]

Peter,

The piano will be getting new strings. But our shop will not be putting them on the piano.
We have contracted only to design and install a new soundboard, rib set and bridges. The
rebuilding shop that has primary responsibility for the job does not install soundboards.
And they certainly don't design them. They usually send that type of work to us.

Unfortunately, they took over the job from yet a third shop and it was that original shop
that disassembled the instrument. The man who took the piano apart either did not take any
measurements or lost all record of them. Unfortunately, he is also now dead and we have
not been able to find any way of getting a message to him to ask him about what he did
them.

So, there is no original scale data to use even as a rough guide. While I do intend to
calculate a new stringing scale -- I do this on every piano that goes through our shop --
I would like to have at least some knowledge of the stringing scale that Broadwood
originally put on the piano. "Modern" stringing scales for a piano of this size would run
about 35,000 to 40,000 pounds (total string tension). I'm quite sure that the built-up
plate in this piano would break apart under this much tension. So, what I am trying to
find out is approximately how much total string tension would a piano of this type have
had on it originally.

Thanks,

Del

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

Peter KESTENS wrote:

> Dell,
>
> Why, if you replace the old soundboard don't you put on new strings?  Only
> for not knowing the original scale?  I know somebody with an old guy (I hope
> like this one) and will looking for thestring scale if it's mentionned.  I
> hope the best for you.
>
> Greetings,
>
> Peter
> 't MUZIEKINSTRUMENTENATELIER
> PETER KESTENS
> BELGIUM
> KESTENS.P@DEBCOM.BE
> -----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
> Van: Delwin D Fandrich <pianobuilders@olynet.com>
> Aan: pianotech@ptg.org <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Datum: donderdag 26 maart 1998 6:08
> Onderwerp: Another Broadwood
>
> >The List:
> >
> >Well, I have another Broadwood question. (No, I don't know why we keep
> getting these
> >things...)
> >
> >This one is a more-or-less straight strung 7' 9" or 10" grand. We were
> given a number --
> >8454 -- which may be the serial number. (The piano came to us in pieces. We
> are only
> >putting in a new soundboard and making new bridges.) The piano has an 85
> note scale. There
> >are 8 mono-chord wrapped unisons, 3 bi-chord wrapped unisons and 8
> tri-chord wrapped
> >unisons. It is extremely slender at the foot. The plate is made basically
> in two parts, a
> >hitch pin panel and a tuning pin panel. The struts are separate pieces. It
> all interlocks
> >rather cleverly with a minimal number of bolts.
> >
> >Now for the problem: The piano was taken apart elsewhere and no record
> exists of the
> >original stringing scale. Although we are not going to be stringing the
> piano I have been
> >asked to furnish some idea of an appropriate stringing scale. My question
> is, does anyone
> >have any idea what the original stringing scale tensions may have been
> like?
> >
> >Thanks,
> >
> >Del
> >