pinblocks and materials

[Michael Gamble]

Hello List and Mark K
You said: "But I really wonder if the pinblock couldn't use some better
engineering.
The traditional laminated pinblocks are marvels of craftsmanship, but my
reading of Reblitz' text makes it sound like they're an eternal cause of
grief.  Have other schemes been tried?  I'm thinking of a brass block with
tapered steel pins held tight by nuts underneath the block.  Or a cast-iron
pinblock with brass bushings and the tapered pins.  I'm sure that this has
been thought of many times.  What were the problems?  Were there ever plates
that had an integrated iron pinblock cast into them?"
The nearest pianos got to that, I believe, were uprights by Collen-Broadwood
where Agraffes were used on the bridge as well as at the top bridge. They're
horrid, tonally, and I hate the thought of ever restringing one of those
because I'm pretty sure the results wouldn't be worth the effort.
Regards
Michael G (UK)