Article about bridge agraffes - function, types

[Calin Tantareanu]

Ed,

Interesting to read about the Schumann piano. If you can please tell me how
you would characterize its tone and sustain.
I said I like the way that agraffe is made (it's simplicity). You should
note that this design has no "sound filter" like Stuart or Steingraeber use.
If the unpleasant sound was indeed caused by the agraffe, it seems an
argument to include a sound filter to avoid unwanted frequencies.
I'm sure that laminated bridge caps treated with epoxy are better than
normal ones not only in terms of resistance to splitting, but also in terms
of increased stiffness.


Calin Tantareanu
http://calin.haos.ro
--------------------

> -----Original Message-----
> From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org 
> [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of ed440 at mindspring.com
> Sent: duminică, 19 noiembrie 2006 23:22
> To: Pianotech List
> Subject: RE: Article about bridge agraffes - function, types
> 
> 
> 
> >I really liked the Schumann version, which is a really 
> simple and elegant
> >solution. I wasn't able to find out how it sounds though.
> >
> 
> Calin-
> 
> I tuned a Schumann with the bridge agraffes.  I didn't like 
> the timbre.  As I recall it was a sort of "whistling" sound 
> in the treble.  Granted, it was old and worn in every part.
> 
> I am enjoying your article and web site very much.  It causes 
> me to wonder how much the treble can be improved by bridge 
> loading and hardening of the bridge cap, such as can be done 
> with epoxy or CA impregnation of the cap and/or use of 
> different cap materials, including laminated woods (such as 
> used by Ron Nossaman) or various non-traditional materials. 
> One might even slice the bridge cap material or lay it in 
> "tiles" if it seems that there is an advantage to having a 
> separate "foot print" for each unison (I'm not certain there 
> is).  I was impressed by the treble sounds of both Ron N's 
> and Ron O's pianos in Rochester.
> 
> Thanks for your work in putting this together!
> 
> Ed Sutton