Pure Tone Strings

[Richard Brekne]

Nice post Ron. It seems to me we have the most important tool at hand. This
internet.  There is the will to do what research each of us as individuals can.
Many can collect data, others can get together and sort it out, still others
can analyse and come up ideas relating to the data. The rebuilders amoungst us
can put ideas to the test. All we need is a plan.. an idea of what to do and
how to go about it.

And we also need a distinct lack of "personal need for fame and fortune"
attitude. I mean screw all that crap anyways. Perhaps that was fine for the
days when the old Bluthner's were being made, but perhaps we need to get beyond
that. How much knowledge has gone down the proverbial tubes because somebody
wanted to guard their secrets ? We simply dont need to play that game.

Btw Ron, I have started takeing the measurements you mentioned a few weeks
back. Sorry its taken so long to get started but my puter has been down and at
the fixit shop. You'll start getting some trial data in the next week or ten
days.. grin.

Who knows... maybe we can even turn the piano market around and stand it on its
head. The little man repair side of this buisness is booming in Europe. Lots of
old pianos are getting "fixed" and even French Polish is making a comeback in
an increasingly big way.

Guys like Stephen, Del, and all those who sitting around with design knowledge,
ideas and proposals should rethink them in regards to how to get the job done
in this kinda community effort fashion.

Food for thought.

Ron Nossaman wrote:

> * I agree too, but if no organization is fighting desperately to throw
> funding at it, and a whole lot of them fit the "not fighting desperately"
> description, then what prevents an individual or small group from finding
> some answers of their own? Sure, the big grants, with the fully equipped
> lab facilities aren't available, but that isn't the end of all research.
> Knowledge doesn't have to originate at institutions, guys. There are people
> out there in the trenches who are interested enough, and dedicated enough
> to lay their OWN time and money on the line in pursuit of answers. Look
> around and see where interesting approaches to fundamental design and
> analysis are coming from. It's not the universities or manufacturers. It's
> from individuals. Sure, it would be wonderful to get the right people
> funded for research in a useful direction, but that's at least three
> unlikely propositions off the top.

>
> * Me too. From what I've experienced with my own non-funded minimally
> bureaucratic R&D, I believe it's do-able. A manufacturer who cares enough
> to meet minimal tolerances, produces what the designer designed, and was
> more concerned with a quality sound, than a mainstream product, could do
> it. Bluthner did it, didn't they?
>
> As in all things, the only thing keeping that "golden age" from happening
> is the participants. There are more pearls out there now than there ever
> were, it's just that there are more swine too.
>
> Keep plugging,
>
> Ron N

--
Richard Brekne
Associate PTG, N.P.T.F.
Bergen, Norway