Fortepiano pinblock material

[Ed Sutton]

Stephen-
    Wow! I hit paydirt with your answers! I'll get the string measurements
to you soon. The sound of this instrument is not very lively.
    I shouldn't have made that comment about the maker; it is second hand
information. Perhaps he just doesn't have time for it.  In any case, I meant
to communicate that since it isn't a top notch reproduction, I feel
justified in working on it with my limited knowledge and experience. I think
I can make it play again.
    For tuning, my preference would be solid quarter sawn maple.
I'll be very interested in your response to the current scale.
Many thanks!
Ed

----------
>From: "Stephen Birkett" <sbirkett@real.uwaterloo.ca>
>To: <caut@ptg.org>
>Subject: Re: Fortepiano pinblock material
>Date: Mon, Mar 25, 2002, 8:06 AM
>

> Ed continued:
>
>>     The rim and belly are doing well.  They are under compression, and
> well
>> braced. The pinblock bows in the center, because there is no support.
> Later
>> instruments had metal gap spacers to the belly rail.
>
> Not all originals had gapspacers. Some had a wooden gapspacer.
>
>>  There's no room to add them in this instrument.
>
> *If* you want to add one it is generally not impossible, even as a
> retro-fit, to do so, and cram together the stirnging on either side.
>
>> If the new pinblock doesn't give at all, perhaps
>> there would be more stress on the sides of the case.
>
> I don't think that is an issue.
>
>>     I do think it would be better to return to the original scale unless
>> there is historical evidence for the higher tension scale.  I'm not sure
> how
>> I could research this.
>
> As I said last message send me the stringing data and I'll put it into my
> spreadheet.
>
>>     I know Delignit isn't a historic material.  From what I understand,
> this
>> particular model is not held in high esteem by current fortepianists.
> It's
>> owner would ideally replace it with something more historically
> up-to-date,
>> but can't afford it.
>
> Is that the pinblock material at the moment? Whatever repair is eventually
> done, differences in material cost will turn out to be negligible. It is
> pretty much negligible in the cost factoring for an original reproduction,
> too. Money all goes to the labour.
>
> With this Zucky piano authenticity is a secondary issue, since it is a
> modern hybrid by design anyway. It is more important to adapt and get a good
> tone out of it. Rememeber it is over-built, not under-built, and tends to
> sound constipated.
>
>>  The original builder of this instrument, who is now a
>> top name in the field, refuses to repair it, as it is below his current
>> standards of authenticity.
>
> Tell us who that is.
>
> Such a repair should not be refused (barring time constraints), unless they
> don't think they can improve it, and are advising the owner that the repair
> is not justified.
>
>> So, if I can make it work again, I can live with the loss of authenticity.
>
> Definitely the _main_ issue - make it sound better.
>
>>     I think if stiffer pinblock material makes a difference, it would
>> increase power and sustain a little, probably not very much in this
>> instrument.
>
> I think you need to analyse the instrument as a whole to see where efforts
> would best be addressed and moeny spent.
>
> Stephen
>
> Stephen Birkett Fortepianos
> Authentic Reproductions of 18th and 19th Century Pianos
> 464 Winchester Drive
> Waterloo, Ontario
> Canada N2T 1K5
>
> tel: 519-885-2228
> mailto: sbirkett@real.uwaterloo.ca
>