Bridge design

[Barbara J. Fandrich]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Farrell" <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2003 4:52 AM
Subject: Re: Bridge design


> A few days ago I was looking at the bridge on a Baldwin M grand. It did
exactly the same thing you are describing. If you notice (assuming I'm on
the right track here) the undercut fades out and begins on the other side
where there is a dogleg in the bridge. My guess at what they were trying to
do was to keep the soundboard contact footprint one continuous curve, i.e. a
"straight" curve (as opposed to a squiggle).
--------------------

You are correct. At one time this was considered important by some builders.
The idea was that the "sound waves" had to be able to travel longitudinally
within the bridge from end-to-end unimpeded. This theory also explains why
so many builders were reluctant to put a dog-leg into the bridge at
plate/scale breaks to maintain good scaling. They were not just being cheap
or negligent.

Del