Broadwood Bass string

[Ron Nossaman]

> Between 1867 and 1893 Poehlmann set the pace for piano wire, so 
> that in 1876 their No. 17 wire broke at 342 lbs. compared with Washburn 
> and Moen's 242 lbs.  I guess Chickering would have used Poehlmann wire 
> at this time, as most great European makers did.  Today's wire is not as 
> good in any way as Poehlmann's and has not the same tensile strength, 
> with the result that the strings on a piano strung with modern wire will 
> be close to their breaking strain, and that is all to the good in some 
> cases.  


They must have had different pounds back then. I show today's 
#17 Roslau at 395lb, and #17 Mapes International Gold at 433lb 
for coiled treble wire.


Ron N