Bridge design

[Farrell]

I have two 1912 or so Mason & Hamlin uprights with the shortened agraffe area (although not agraffes on the upright), but they both have the low tenor transition bridge rather than a shortened/curved/whatevered low end of the tenor bridge. I wonder why they did not use the transition bridge on the grand? What length is the A?

Terry Farrell
  
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <Erwinspiano@AOL.COM>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, July 05, 2002 10:49 PM
Subject: Re: Bridge design


> In a message dated 7/5/2002 12:47:26 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
> pianobuilders@olynet.com writes:
> 
> 
> > Subj:Re: Bridge design 
> > Date:7/5/2002 12:47:26 PM Pacific Daylight Time
> > From:<A HREF="mailto:pianobuilders@olynet.com">pianobuilders@olynet.com</A>
> > Reply-to:<A HREF="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A>
> > To:<A HREF="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A>
> > Sent from the Internet 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> >  
> > >> ----- Original Message ----- 
> >> From: <A HREF="mailto:davidlovepianos@earthlink.net">David Love</A> 
> >> To: <A HREF="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</A> 
> >> 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
> 
> 
> >  David, Del
> >   I've often wondered the same thing about the M bridge. A while back I 
> > think we talked about floating sound boards and bridge modifications in 
> > this area as well.
> >   Oddly enough I just purchased 2 Mason As . One from 1929 and the other 
> > 1931. Thw 1929 has the usual long tenor bridge and the other has a modified 
> > tenor bridge. The bridge makes an abrupt swing towards the staight /bass 
> > side of the case. This shortens up the speaking length bout 3 or 4 inches 
> > and on it are of course 5 wrapped bi-chord unisons. The plate area at the 
> > agraffes is also shortened appox. an inch. 
> >   I found this to have a very good bass tenor break and a step in the right 
> > direction with this model considering the break with plain wire has been 
> > changed i different wire size configurations over time. And with not much 
> > success. To bad that Mason& Hamlin didn't stick with it. No doubt more 
> > costly .SO WHAT. Any rebuilder could easily duplicate this modification 
> > except the agraffe change.
> >   What say ye.
> >   >>>>Dale Erwin>>>
> 
>        
> 
> > 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. 
> >  
> > Del
> > 
> 
>