Backscale design/tenor scale

[Bdshull@AOL.COM]

Brian, Rob:

I just rebuilt a 1885-90 Sohmer 6'3" 21 bass.  Has plain wire down to note 
22.  I obtained this piano unstrung, with no stringing scale, but it came 
with a set of bass strings (from Tuners Supply!).   Being a naturally 
non-math person, I have not been interested in rescaling - until now.   I 
restrung using a Sohmer scale out of Travis, but nothing actually fit the 21 
bass scale so I crap-shooted down there (I admit it).  It sounds terrible 
from notes 21 to 26, so now I am interested in scaling..... I read what was 
on hand - Roberts and Travis/Hayes - and concluded that the Sohmer should 
have used bichord wound strings from notes 22 to about 26 or 27.  Comparing 
this piano with a Baldwin L, another thing that stood out (finally getting to 
Brian T's point) was the back length.  The distance from the rear of the 
bridge to the string rest in an "L" is close to 5.5", and the Sohmer is about 
2.5".  The Baldwin permits the tenor string backlength to extend past the 
bass bridge, which is placed far enough to the right.   Pretty good sounding 
piano except for this and the first treble break (maybe because there is no 
step out).   I can't change back length much - the bass bridge is in the way. 
 But I am interested in what I can do with wire size and type (wound?).

I want to be sure plain wire won't work first.  Now I have #22 on F#/G2 (48 
5/8" speaking length), #21 on G#/A2 (G# is 46 1/2") and #20 on the next four 
notes (A# is 47 7/8").  Any suggestions?

This is a pre-bridge-agraffe Sohmer, 88 note, had rocker capstans ('nother 
story - as was the glued-on-the-block tuning pin "bushings").

Bill Shull
University of Redlands, La Sierra University
Loma Linda, CA


In a message dated 99-05-10 23:16:11 EDT, you write:

<< 
 In a post back on 4/23, Del wrote:
 
 "Especially in short pianos the back
 scale length is nearly as important as the speaking length.  Sometimes more 
so."
 
 
 I've been wondering if anyone, Del, Ron, or anyone who has a knowledge of 
scale design would like to pick up on this.   Is this referring to the length 
of string between the rear bridge pin and the hitch pin that often speaks in 
the treble end of the piano?   >>