Oops... Re: Unusual rib structure?

[Robin Hufford]

Sarah,
     Many older pianos, particularly concert grands, and especially, certain
early Steinway concert grands have a cut-off bar.  One would then suspect that
Steinway abandoned this feature for an increasingly "modern" approach, that is
one without a cut-off bar, for some period,  and this makes we wonder at the
entire hypothesis taken up here - that this was just a poor man's version of the
cut-off bar, antecedent to the modern variety.
     Secondly, I personally doubt highly that Otto Wisner was even still alive
at the time your piano was made, although he could have designed it at some time
previous.  I don't think, from that given above that the unusual rib structure
you refer to, and the crosslinking are a poor substitute for a cut-off bar as
such a bar was, no doubt,  a feature I am certain Wisner had familiarity with,
but, rather, a calculated attempt to improve some aspect of the piano, whatever
that may  be.    It may well be patented.  If so, a description  could then be
found there, which would shed some light on the thoughts of the originators of
this feature.
     I personally, believe that you have a piano with a substantial sustain and
beautiful timber, as you say,  as I have worked extensively on several Wisners,
own a Wisner upright, and know they are all great pianos.  While typing this I
am then inclined to think the Wisner I have has a cut-off bar and I will check
on this tomorrow.    Whether this piano does, or not, it is hard for me to
believe they were, as I said, unawares of the uses of such a bar.  For example,
Kroeger, another long time worker in Steinway's factory of the late 1800's, who
also went on his own,  built an upright with extensive cut-off bars, both treble
and bass which had the effect of making the soundboard effectively, somewhat
like the shape of a grand, more rectangular than the squarish shape approximated
on many uprights,  and was,  especially, like the shape taken by certain of the
smaller Chickering quarter grands from the earlier part of the last century.
Regards, Robin Hufford


Sarah Fox wrote:

> Hi Del et al.,
>
> So these rib ties were somewhat of a "missing link" between the old
> no-cutoff-bar design and the more modern cutoff bar construction???  Just
> curious -- What was the evolutionary history, in a few sentences or less?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Peace,
> Sarah
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Delwin D Fandrich" <pianobuilders@olynet.com>
> To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2003 3:16 PM
> Subject: Re: Oops... Re: Unusual rib structure?
>
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Sarah Fox" <sarah@gendernet.org>
> > To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
> > Sent: May 07, 2003 10:32 AM
> > Subject: Re: Oops... Re: Unusual rib structure?
> >
> >
> > > Hi Thump,
> > >
> > > >      As you know, vibrations pass more rapidly along
> > > > wood grain, than across it. I believe that the intent
> > > > here was to allow the vibrations, passing into the
> > > > ribs from the bridge crossover point, to have another
> > > > means of surface distribution. One which helps them
> > > > overcome the "cross grain slow-down". And I suspect
> > > > that Mr.Wissner tried it for this reason, liked the
> > > > effect, and let it stay.
> > >
> > > Dunno...  These ties are at the ends of the ribs, not the middle.  I was
> > > thinking they might be under light tension to help maintain the crown.
> > >
> >
> > They are there to simulate a real soundboard cutoff bar. They evolved from
> > a time when the largest possible vibrating area of soundboard was
> > considered to be some sacred. Indeed, it still is by some piano makers,
> > evidence to the contrary notwithstanding. In any case, these straps did
> > improve the sustain slightly through the mid-tenor and lower treble. Not
> as
> > much as a real cutoff bar would have, but they were/are better than
> > nothing.
> >
> > Del
> >
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