Rear Duplex Bars on Steinways:

[John Hartman]

David Love wrote:
> John:
> 
> I would not disagree with these criteria at all.   The definition of what
> constitutes a problem, however, is something on which reasonable people
> might reasonably disagree.  

Yes I agree. But isn't it also possible that a problem such as a clean 
transition from wound strings to plane wire requires a different 
solution depending on the type of piano in question? In the case of a 
Baldwin upright I do think we have to go back to the drawing board but 
in the case of a fine grand like the Steinway A I mentioned before you 
can spend all of five minute and the problem is solved.

> For example, that you are able to cover up
> scaling problems with judicious voicing is not necessarily a reason to
> dismiss rescaling as another option, is it?  

Covering up a problem? My word, it sounds like you think I am sort of 
piano hack! If a few strokes with the voicing needle is a cover up for 
poor scaling then tuning is a cover up for loose tuning pins. I don't 
think we will ever get to the point of refinement in this area were a 
good technician will not be able to tell the difference between a wound 
string on the bass bridge and a plane wire on the tenor bridge. While in 
theory there remains room for improvement it just wouldn't be worth the 
effort to re-engineer it away when there is an easy answer at the end of 
a needle. As I said before I don't find problems with the scales on the 
Steinway grands I work on. But if I worked on Steinways that had been 
poorly rebuilt or ones that are in poor condition I certainly would have 
problems with the transition from bass to treble. The solution is still 
not going to be a major re-scaling.

I have done some re-scaling when I used to work on other makes such as 
Beckstein and I do minor re-scaling to Mason and Hamlins. I think I know 
when a piano needs to be re-scaled and the Steinway grand just doesn't 
have problems in this area. Instead of re-scaling I think we better 
learn how to un-scale. With all of the moving of bridges and other 
changes some people are making we better have  a way to get these pianos 
back to were they were. Somebody in the future my what to learn 
something from them.

> My impression from reading
> your previous posts on the subject was that you felt there was no reason
> that Steinway belly designs and/or scaling should be modified, even
> slightly.  Am I correct in that impression?  Or am I misreading you.

Well I think you are misreading me. I would never say that "there was no 
reason that Steinway belly designs and/or scaling should be modified". 
No mater what I do I always end up modifying them. You just can't stop 
that since every piece of wood, felt, metal etc. is different. Sometimes 
I make changes to improve the durability of the piano or to customize it 
to fit a client. But everything I do is aimed at restoring the vitality 
of piano so it can be put back into service making music. I am 
resurrecting the piano not using its carcass as raw material for a 
creation of my own.

Some of the methods I have been reading on this list make me think there 
is more interest in piano building than piano re-building. Moving 
bridges, moving ribs, grinding down the hitch pins, grinding the plate 
so there is more room to move the bridge... Wouldn't it be easier and 
better to just start from scratch and build your design without the 
limitations of working on top of someone else's work? Even Rembrandt 
started on a new canvas. If one is really interested in making a new 
piano THEN ONE SHOULD DO JUST THAT. I don't care what the "re-engineers" 
do with the average sort of piano out there but I hope there is some way 
to discourage them from using this valuable resource as raw material for 
their creations. Someone may actually what a Steinway someday. Gasp!



John Hartman RPT

John Hartman Pianos
[link redacted at request of site owner - Jul 25, 2015]
Rebuilding Steinway and Mason & Hamlin
Grand Pianos Since 1979

Piano Technicians Journal
Journal Illustrator/Contributing Editor
[link redacted at request of site owner - Jul 25, 2015]