Baldwin Bridges

[Kevin E. Ramsey]

    My, my! A question from Ron! If someone as knowledgeable as you, Ron,
can still have the humility to ask an occasional question, then there is
certainly hope for the rest of us.
    I really do believe that the ones who act like they know everything
there is to know about pianos, are sadly mistaken.
    Ron, I like you more every day.

    Not that I ever thought you were talking down to anybody, I've always
gotten friendly and good natured "vibes" from you.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Ron Nossaman" <RNossaman@KSCABLE.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2001 8:26 AM
Subject: Baldwin Bridges


> Hi Gang,
> Tuning a newer 45" Baldwin studio yesterday, I dug out my flashlight and
> was checking out the notching on the tenor bridge when the bridge cap
> shouted at me saying "Hey dummy! Over here!" These are interesting
bridges,
> if you haven't looked at one closely. The root is about 15mm thick, with
> the grain roughly paralleling the length. The cap, however, is also about
> 15mm thick, with the grain roughly perpendicular (a bit to the right) to
> the notch. It's hard to tell with the strings on and the action in.
>
> So it's a compression crowned bridge, right?
>
> Why?
>
> They've apparently been done this way for some time, so I'm wondering.
When
> did this practice start, who started it, and for what reason?
>
> Some of the listites have reported loose caps on these, but I haven't had
> that particular problem with them or I would have noticed this
construction
> sooner. It's the stuff that's right in front of you that seems to be the
> least obvious.
>
>
> Ron N