Square Grand Bi-Chord Dampers

[Joe Garrett]

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Terry asked: "So now we have a piano topic, and it's going to go the way =
of private =3D
telephone? Joe, you are such a tease! You get us all worked up over =3D
square damper felt but then you don't go all the way with it. So please, =
=3D
tell us all your theory about why flat felt might be preferred over =3D
wedges in various areas of the square grand string scale."

Terry,
OK, since you asked! Square Grands, (and I'm NOT talking about Square =
Pianos, [usually pre-1860 would qualify that}]), were made in the same =
factories, right side/side with "Modern" Upright and "Modern" Grands. By =
the 1870's most manufacturers had figured out what it took to get =
Dampers to shut down, sufficiently. Consequently, They KNEW how to make =
a piano "Damp" "Properly", (that is ascontroversial as methods of =
voicing, IMHO.). Then why did they make the Square Grand with it's lack =
of ability to dampen and repeat sufficiently, up to the standards of the =
day?!!! The best way I can explain this is with two phrases:             =
        =20
 1. Supply/Demand
2. A fictional story. (#1 prompts the story<G>
The Story:
Imagine you are a fairly young man, in 1880. You have established =
yourself in the Victorian Business World, as a success. One day, you =
decide to buy a piano. (which is a status symbol of the time! Besides =
which, your wife has been bugging you, from day one of your marriage!)
You toddle on down to THE PIANO/MUSIC STORE. Enter. Immediately, you are =
greeted by the Salesman! (some things never change!<G>) The salesman =
says: "May I help you?" You reply: " Yes, I would like to buy a piano." =
Now the Salesman becomes very animated and steers you towards a nice S & =
S "A". You sit down and begin to play. After a few minutes, you stop and =
say: "No this is not quite what I had in mind." The Salesman gets a =
little less animated and steers you over to a nice S & S K-52. You sit =
down and begin to play again. After a few more minutes, you stop and =
say, again: " No, this is not quite what I had in mind, either. I want a =
piano that sounds more like what I learned on. I learned on my Grand =
Mother's beautiful grand. It sounded sooo full!" The salesman becomes =
more animated and gets a knowing look in his eye. This time, he steers =
you to the back of the store, where the Square Grands are. You sit down =
and start to play. Immediately, you stop and say: "This is exactly what =
I want. I'll take it!"
Now, the question is why? "Grandmother's Beautiful Grand" was built in =
the early 1800's. At that time, the knowlege/technology/materials had =
not been refined to the state of the "Modern Grands/Uprights". It did =
not dampen very well. The touch was much different than the "modern =
pianos". This overall difference dictated the manufacturing of the =
Square Grand AND the OverDamper Uprights, ("Bird-Cages") It was a =
"SOUND" issue!!!! Now you know part of the reason(s). There are other =
aspects, that enter into it, but this is wayyyyy looonnnng enough!<G>
Best Regards,

Joe Garrett, R.P.T.
Captain, Tool Police
Squares R I
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