Hi Wim
Ric
First, how is the sound, compared to the old Sohmers with agraffs on
the bridge? Second, do you know what the composite material is made
of? Looking forward to seeing and hearing the piano in GR
Wim
I never had the opportunity to hear a Sohmer so I have no way of making
the comparison. They do have a very pleasant sound tho and with that
extra long sustain especially noticeable in the higher treble that we
have heard in other designs. The one I saw was able to handle quite
powerful play and had a sound that reminded me of both the Nossaman
instrument and Overs instrument I saw in Rochester.
The soundboard, if the design hasn't changed since then, was a three ply
panel in which the middle <<ply>> was carbon fiber and the outside two
were usual high quality soundboard spruce. We got to see a slice of the
material and of course there were a lot of oohs and ahhs... but
skepticism underneath it all. I have to tip my hat to Udo Steingræber
big time for daring to take on this project in the heartland of German
piano building country. We are of course talking about a rib crowned
and supported affair. He is very aware of Wayne Stuarts work but did
not seem to know much about what was going on in America at the time. I
did not get a chance to find out what he used to glue the three plys
together so you all can ask him. He did not put crown into the panel as
a part of gluing the plys together tho he found that idea interesting.
He was convinced his agraffe design was quite a bit superior to anything
else out there, largely because of how it deals with the stress the
string / agraffe combination imparts onto the bridge. He has some
graphics to show how that works.
I suppose you all know that its an English engineer, Richard Dain who
the designer. Evidently he has been working on this for quite some
time. He's a bit eccentric and naturally enough very proud of his
work... with every right to be so I might add. A very nice fellow
really and quite eager to discuss his design thinking so I am sure his
kindred spirits in the US will have the opportunity to do one of the
things they like best... talk piano design. He owns a rather large
estate in England with a small concert hall, studio and has a few very
good instruments, and does a lot of music things out their. A quite
rich older fellow with a passion for pianos he is living out in his
retirement days. Really quite cool. You can find Richard Dains website
at http://www.hurstwoodfarmpianos.co.uk/index.php . It comes complete
with several sound samples of different instruments, and a lot of
information about his concert hall / estate and endeavours.
In anycase... I'm sure you will find the instrument both enjoyable and
interesting. And... Steingræber does very very fine work. So the
execution is excellent quality. Over's immaculate instrument at
Rochester was immediately brought to my mind.
Cheers
RicB
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