Bridge design

[Delwin D Fandrich]

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  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: David Love=20
  To: Pianotech=20
  Sent: July 05, 2002 9:25 AM
  Subject: Bridge design


  On a Steinway M there are several gaps between the bridge and the =
soundboard at the lower end of the treble/tenor bridge.  What is the =
purpose of those gaps in design, and if one were remaking a bridge for =
that instrument, would you duplicate that design?

  David Love

For several reasons, including the foreshortening of the strings down =
toward the end of the bridge and the consequent scaling problems, the =
fact that only 28 wrapped bi-chords are used, relatively weak (flexible) =
ribbing at that point, etc., the bass/tenor break ends up being =
relatively awkward in this model. I don't know the official position on =
this 'feature' but the effect is to reduce the energy transfer =
efficiency between the strings falling on that portion of the bridge and =
those some further up. I've been told they eliminate the thuddy =
characteristic of the strings down toward the break. In practice they =
don't seem to help much, if at all.=20

A better solution would be to straighten out the scaling in that area =
and use an extension on the end of the tenor bridge to stiffen up the =
end of the bridge -- even better, design in a transition bridge -- =
and/or redesign the ribbing, and leave out the gaps.=20

Del

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