Nipples on a bull

[Barbara Richmond]

I think it's called a poor man's sostenuto.

Barbara Richmond

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Avery" <avery1 at houston.rr.com>
To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, October 20, 2006 6:49 PM
Subject: Re: Nipples on a bull


> On most verticals, all it does is lift the bass dampers. A "bass 
> sustain". What use it is, I have no idea!
> 
> Avery
> 
> At 05:19 PM 10/20/2006, you wrote:
>>I can't remember seeing a 'dummy' middle pedal.
>>I have however seen them, missing the attachments to make them 
>>operate a muffler rail. So they appear to do nothing now.
>>John M. Ross
>>Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada
>>jrpiano at win.eastlink.ca
>>----- Original Message ----- From: "pjr" <pryan2 at the-beach.net>
>>To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org>
>>Sent: Friday, October 20, 2006 6:48 PM
>>Subject: Nipples on a bull
>>
>>
>>>After meticulously tuning a dilapidated upright piano in the back 
>>>of a dark stage at a school, I reached down with my foot and found 
>>>the sustain pedal was broken off and missing.  In order to avoid 
>>>having this the best tuned piano in the landfill (and to get paid), 
>>>I disconnected the middle pedal and gerryrigged it to act as the 
>>>sustain pedal and all is well in the tuning world.  Which brings me 
>>>to my question - does anyone know the history of why there is a 
>>>useless middle pedal on inexpensive upright pianos?  Is it as the 
>>>proverbial expression implies "Nipples on a bull"?(Apologies to the 
>>>ladies)  How did it begin?  Is it just psychological?  Do they do 
>>>this in Europe?
>>>
>>>Phil Ryan
>>>Miami Beach
>>>
>>>
>