Mason AA report

[Phil Ryan]

Glad to read your AA report.  As a very satified owner of an AA 
(1930ish), rebult also in about 2000,  I'm glad to hear that the bass 
section, my only weak point, can be improved.  Thanks for reporting.

Phil Ryan

Erwinspiano@aol.com wrote:

> In a message dated 4/15/2005 9:06:10 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, 
> Erwinspiano writes:
>
>         Hi  all
>
>       A whiel back I wrote about sound board design changes I made to
>     a 1920's Mason AA & said I'd report back as to my impressions. The
>     separate transition bridge went from 2 bichords & 7 tris to a
>     short repositioned bridge connected to the main bridge body with 9
>     bichords. It got a   cutoff bar that shortened some very long ribs
>     to no more than 36 inches and also I added a treble fish. My first
>
>    It went out two weeks ago. The the piano sounds* really* good . The 
> bass is big ,solid, plenty of boom but focused. The transition bridge 
> at the bass is virtually seamless as is the plain wire break. This was 
> a home run no question. Truly a pleasurable blending of registers. 
> Tenor is sonorous and open. I had to work with the strike lines twice 
> in the top two octaves & the hammers wanted to be harder than I 
> thought but not overly so. It wasn't speaking all that well until the 
> hammers picked up enough stiffness all over  from the lacquer & a few 
> drops of keytop on the strike. Then the treble sustain got 
> quite excellent & clear & projects nicely. Maybe a tiny bit stingy 
> but  one of the best Mason AA I've heard so far that I really liked. 
> I'm being really objectively critical you know & and the same time am 
> very pleased.
>
>        The impression of the whole piano is that it's bigger than it's
>     physical size portends. Very Musical warm dynamics & sound slike a
>     concert grand.  All in All the whole redesign was a pleasant success
>
>    If I had to do over I'd have thinned the board a bit more in the 
> top end. It went to San Luis O. in a beautiful hillside 
> dwelling. Beautiful polished mahogany  Customer is thrilled. Said it 
> was the best money he'd ever  spent on anything. WOW
>
>         Dale
>
>