I do not remember that Brambach's were known for plate failure. That would certainly make one hesitate before taking a project on. Perhaps it would be an argument for lowering the overall tension on the piano. I wonder if the plate problems were a result of a design issue or a casting issue? Or both? How many of these have you actually come across in your years of rebuilding? Is it enough to make a broad generalization? We sometimes have to be careful about extrapolating from a limited sample: There were many hundreds of thousands of these pianos produced. On Sun, Nov 14, 2010 at 12:27 PM, Dale Erwin <erwinspiano at aol.com> wrote: > > Yeah, I take the point but but my point is that with out the plate... its > a pile of firewood with a piano shaped boat anchor attached. Yes one needs a > nose to work on or a piano ;) > > *Dale S. Erwin > **0* > > > 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 > -- Ryan Sowers, RPT Puget Sound Chapter Olympia, WA www.pianova.net -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech.php/attachments/20101114/f013494e/attachment.htm>
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