[pianotech] freak of nature

[Susan Kline]

>I agree that it is shoddy work.  However, the intent, I believe, 
>started out as a good one:  to keep bichord pairs equal in speaking 
>length so that they match in inharmonicity and tune together as 
>acceptable unisons.

Joe, I think you give them too much credit. I worked on a piano 
almost like this -- little skinny bridge, erratic and excessive 
sidebearing on the back pin -- and it was utterly and completely 
split out. I think that they staggered both groups of pins in an 
effort to prevent splitting. On that other piano a huge ditch about 
3/8" wide connected all the rear bridge pin holes. Not only was the 
rear sidebearing excessive, but the angle at which the rear pin holes 
had been drilled leaned toward the edge instead of into the meat.

Freak of nature --- well, the people doing it may have been freaks, 
one way or another.

Susan Kline