Speaking of Steinway grand sizes

[Richard Brekne]

Thanks JD

Your previous post prompted me to pick up my copy of McFerrin's book and 
take another look at a couple spreadsheets I have for scaling.  I see 
none of these really mention a total diameter directly.  I was tempted 
to look closer at the density of the wrap... 0.89.... multiplying the 
diameter of the wrap by this figure... but I suppose thats not really 
related.  There is no straight forward formula for calculating the end 
diameter then ?  It <<depend>> on how much tension is applied by the 
string maker ?

As for my instrument... Hartwig says its a Hamburg O.  But the scale 
lengths match those of the L in the Service Manual.  I'm double checking 
lengths tomorrow. Grin... no good sending of bogus length to da string 
maker. 

Reading a bit of S&S history surrounding the Miniature tho... seems 
quite possible that from its inception up until the O, M and L were 
officially designated that several scales were tried.  Seems like they 
started by making a <<mini grand>>... reworking it for some years and 
then settled on 3 different models.

More tomorrow. 

Cheers
RicB


        At 20:06 +0100 7/2/08, Richard Brekne wrote:

         >I would be interested to know how you figure the real end
        diameter
         >for a given wire and a given wrap size.


    The final minor diameter of the copper will be about 90% of the
    original diameter if the proper tension is applied by the
    string-maker.  Beginners tend not to pull hard enough and the final
    diameters they achieve in training, as well as evenness of diameter,
    are a good guide to what they need to put right before they can be
    productive.

    I've checked my printed scales and can't find a Steinway L after all.
    I don't think Hamburg ever made the L and we see very few of the
    American models here.  If yours is called "miniature" then it's
    almost certainly an 'O'.  You'll probably find some soundboard
    compression by the apron of the bass bridge.

    As to the bass scale(s) the same rules would apply.

    JD