Charles Walter Pianos uses a vertical hitch pin (at least their current grand), however it has a groove around the upper portion that forces the string to ride at a specified height (it is not vertically adjustable like the Baldwin). Don't know what will be on their new grand. I like them. I routinely modify plates during the rebuilding process and convert from traditional hitch pins to vertical hitch pins. I use simple stainless spring pins. However, the bridge top does indeed need to be planed to proper height for downbearing - but you do have a bit of play when placing the string on the pin - you want it up off the plate, but you don't want it so high that you introduce excessive hitch pin torque on the plate. Don't see how a vertical hitch pin could be associated with tuning instability - unless of course a two adjacent notes with radically different string tensions share a string - but you shouldn't have that anyway - but from a factory, who knows. Terry Farrell > Some people like them, and I know a couple who really > dislike them. I think they are a very intelligent > solution. You can adjust the downbearing exactly as > you wish on every string, and the manufacturing > process is greatly simplified - the bridge top doesn't > have to be custom tailored to the plate. > > The main cause of tuning instability on Baldwins is > that the pin block often hasn't been fit to the plate > flange. With time, the pin block can move. > > I don't know of any other manufacturer who uses the > Baldwin hitch pin design. > > Vladan > > ============================================= > Someone I know complains the Baldwin hitch pins cause > them to not stay > in tune. I can't imagine the hitch pin would affect > tuning in that way, > but I wanted to ask what other technicians on the list > think about > that. > > Any other comments about the hitch pins are welcome. I > understand their > purpose (isn't there another piano maker that uses a > similar idea?), > but I wasn't sure if it was actually useful in the > real world. > > > > > > __________________________________ > Do you Yahoo!? > Read only the mail you want - Yahoo! Mail SpamGuard. > http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail > _______________________________________________ > pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives >
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