[pianotech] Brambach to rebuild?

[Ryan Sowers]

It wouldn't BE a Brambach after the rebuild - it would be something new!
Rescaled with a redesigned belly, new action with Ronsen Wurzen felt
hammers, etc.

The point is to showcase the transformation a rebuilder can make with the
most famous of the humble brands. Its one thing for a cosmetic surgeon to do
a fantastic nose job on Nicole Kidman,  another thing to do it on Walter
Mattheu (RIP)!

On Sun, Nov 14, 2010 at 6:59 AM, Dale Erwin <erwinspiano at aol.com> wrote:

> -
>  Coming to this thread late.  We have seen more than a few Brambachs over
> the years with cracked/ broken plates.
>   This is the first reason why this shop says no to working on them. Second
> is they are horrible pianos.  You can string them and do a hammer
> transplant  and they still sound like .....A Brambach :)  AMHIK
>
>  *Dale S. Erwin
> *
>
>
>
> Sent: Sun, Nov 14, 2010 4:13 am
>
> Subject: Re: [pianotech] Brambach to rebuild?
>
>  I see and understand your point completely. Yes, the name Brambach
> certainly does bring instant recognition within this industry. Okay,
> gotcha!
>
> Terry Farrell
>
>
> On Nov 12, 2010, at 11:59 AM, Delwin D Fandrich wrote:
>
> > Terry, you're quite right -- the bass has some problems. Still, I've >
> seen
> > worse. With vertical hitches and the right scaling, though, it won't > be
> a
> > "bad" bass; it just won't be the best that can be done in a piano of >
> this
> > size.
> >
> > I saw all of those problems as well...but they were over-ridden by >
> that
> > wonderful shot of the name "Brambach" cast into the plate. To be > sure,
> there
> > are probably other no-name pianos out there that might be better raw
> > material for the ultimate rebuild but none of them will have that >
> legendary
> > name! It is instantly recognizable by any piano technician. And it's >
> known
> > -- absolutely! Positively! -- to be nothing good. The thing is, you >
> see,
> > it's not just that we couldn't possibly expect anything great > because
> it
> > wasn't built by one of the old masters -- we're absolutely convinced >
> that
> > nothing great ever could come out of a Brambach. Ever. Period. Dot. > So
> if
> > something good does come out it must be due to something the > rebuilder
> did.
> > And maybe, just maybe, he/she might be able to do it again.
> >
> > My reasoning for liking a project such as this goes along these > lines:
> Given
> > a new action and appropriate hammers, a well thought out scale (Of >
> course I
> > have some ideas!) and a competently designed soundboard and bridge >
> system,
> > the bulk of the piano's compass--the three-fourths of the keyboard >
> compass
> > where most pianists spend most of their time -- will be as good as > can
> be
> > achieved in any other piano. Yes, the lowest bass will be a little > less
> than
> > could be done starting with some other platform; even so, I can see
> > comparing the low bass with new pianos (of similar size) costing >
> upwards of
> > $55K. And, quite frankly, I'd be pleased if a potential client had > gone
> out
> > and shopped some of the well-known and very high-end pianos before >
> coming to
> > see my low-life Brambach. I might even suggest it....
> >
> > ddf
> >
> > Delwin D Fandrich
> > Piano Design & Fabrication
> > 620 South Tower Avenue
> > Centralia, Washington 98531 USA
> > del at fandrichpiano.com
> > ddfandrich at gmail.com
> > Phone 360.736.7563
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org<pianotech-bounces at ptg.org?>]
> > On Behalf
> > Of Terry Farrell
> > Sent: Friday, November 12, 2010 5:04 AM
> > To: pianotech at ptg.org
> > Subject: Re: [pianotech] Brambach to rebuild?
> >
> > Hi Del - I looked at those pictures and one thing I noted what that > the
> bass
> > section had a short backscale, the bass bridge has an apron, and the >
> tenor
> > hitch pins are very close to the bass bridge. All suggesting to me > that
> it
> > would be rather difficult to move the bass bridge forward much if > any
> at
> > all. Seems to me that even if you cut a redesigned soundboard free > at
> the
> > foot, although some improvement in tone might be had, the short >
> backscale
> > would still tend to cause that nasty constrained nasal tone in the >
> bass.
> > Would it not be better to find a different old no-name clunker that >
> might
> > better lend itself to redesign improvements?
> >
> > Looking again at the photo of the bass bridge area, I see there is > an
> apron
> > of plate iron forward of the tenor hitch pins (in front of the bass >
> bridge).
> > If that is full-thickness, I suppose you could move those pins > forward
> a bit
> > - assuming more notes would be destined for a transition bridge. > Still
> seems
> > a bit cramped in that area though, and my guess is that the apron >
> thins. But
> > then again, I suppose all this is a problem common to most small >
> grands. But
> > perhaps some lend themselves to improvements more that others (like >
> this
> > one)?
> >
> > Terry Farrell
> >
>
>



-- 
Ryan Sowers, RPT
Puget Sound Chapter
Olympia, WA
www.pianova.net
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