It is a model A1 and is about 180 cm. Does that help? Thanks. Terry Farrell ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Delacour" <JD@Pianomaker.co.uk> To: <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Friday, December 14, 2001 1:20 PM Subject: Re: Cracked plate > At 7:32 AM -0500 12/14/01, Farrell wrote: > >"the crack-prone Bechstein plates of some decades back" > > > >Hi Del. Was there a range of years where this was a problem? Or are > >most all old Bechstein's subject to this weakness. (My specific > >concern is my own personal 1900 Bechstein grand that I will be > >rebuilding in the next year or so.) Thanks. > > What model is it? Has it a B or an A cast into the front web or has > it a V at the toe corner of the plate or has it nothing? Around > those years the models were changing. There are at least 3 different > models in the 200 cm bracket and some of these are prone to cracking > badly and almost all of them were installed green. > > I once had a B (which ought to have been all right) and which had no > cracks. When I unscrewed the rim screws, that plate lifted off the > seating at the toe a full three inches if not more (it's an > experience I try to forget!). When we refitted the plate, we had to > modify the seating in order to get it to lie flat. This was not > quite as bad as I'd anticipated, but it was impossible to get the > bearing quite right at the break and you can hear it, though most > people don't notice. The piano has done daily service in a school > for over 17 years and is treasured by them and very well looked > after, but if they'd seen it when I first got it, they wouldn't have > touched it. Unless you know your Bechstein grands, its best to steer > clear of them. > > JD > > > > > >
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