Stringing Braid and the perception of doing it right

[Ron Nossaman]

>  Back when I was in a particuarly anal retentative phase I tried using some
>small bean bag type thingees in the shop....(velour filed with sand 
>actually) I
>used various sizes such as one note,  three note and six note lengths. So
>reducing back length noise was simple and easy to move around.  The sound, 
>as Ron
>has said was changed and was a tad fuller overall. Worth the effort?? I am
>ambivalent but remain open minded on the subject..I hope! :-)

I sure wouldn't go to that kind of trouble except as an educational 
experiment. In a restrung piano, I just braid from the bottom up (through 
the bass strings) until the back scale noise level is acceptable to me. 
There are too many variables of scaling and soundboard function to be able 
to put "checklist" rules on the process, so I give it what my subjective 
tastes tell me it needs after the fact. Some folks have no tolerance for 
back scale noise, some don't care either way, some consider it enhancement. 
Again, it depends on a lot of different things unique to each piano and judge.


>String braid does
>not truly dampen 'all' vibration in the back scale, rather it reduces it by
>shortening the cycle???....this while still leaving the flexibilty for the
>board/bridge to work with????

Yea - damps the partials that produce the "tone" without altogether 
limiting movement.


>  If a particular thingee doesn't need braid then it is 'perhaps' better to
>leave it out......but doing this should be a well considered and deliberate
>decision.....
>My view.
>Jim Bryant (FL)

Mine too.

Ron N