<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16441" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=921462317-08062007><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080>Over the years many folks have tried to convince us that this was intentional. The V-bar was somehow "crowned" to match the crown of the soundboard and bridge. And then I started designing plates and having them cast. It ain't so.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=921462317-08062007><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=921462317-08062007><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080>Plates warp as they cool and for a variety of reasons they mostly bow up across the span of the pinblock flange. Along with this warp goes the V-bar. </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=921462317-08062007><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=921462317-08062007><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080>In an effort to control this and make the elevation of the hammer strike along the string plane more consistent some manufacturers are now casting the V-bar substantially oversize and milling it to shape and height (using a CNC milling machine) while it is being drilled and while other machining is being done. Some are also milling the bottom side of the tuning pin panel flat and are milling the pinblock flange to shape as well. </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=921462317-08062007><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=921462317-08062007><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080>Del</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=921462317-08062007> <P><FONT size=2>Delwin D Fandrich<BR>Piano Design & Manufacturing Consultant<BR>620 South Tower Avenue<BR>Centralia, Washington 98531  USA<BR>Phone  360.736-7563<BR><<A href="mailto:fandrich@pianobuilders.com">mailto:fandrich@pianobuilders.com</A>> </FONT></P></SPAN></DIV><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000080 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left> <HR tabIndex=-1> <FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] <B>On Behalf Of </B>reggaepass@aol.com<BR><B>Sent:</B> June 07, 2007 9:59 AM<BR><B>To:</B> pianotech@ptg.org; caut@ptg.org<BR><B>Subject:</B> [CAUT] string height<BR></FONT><BR></DIV> <DIV></DIV>Hi Lists,<BR><BR>We recently measured string heights on a Steinway B and  Yamaha <SPAN id=""><SPAN id="">G2</SPAN></SPAN>.  An astute assistant noticed that on both pianos the highest note (pitch-wise) in the tenor was higher than the lowest note in the tenor (more than can be explained by the gradual decrease in wire diameters, were the agraffes all level) and that the lowest note in the capo (pitch-wise) was higher than the highest note (<SPAN id=""><SPAN id="">C8</SPAN></SPAN>).  Is it just a coincidence that we happen to measure two very different pianos with this same set-up, or is there an overarching design reason for this (making it a goal by design shared by many manufacturers)?<BR><BR>Thanks,<BR><BR>Alan <SPAN id=""><SPAN id="">Eder</SPAN></SPAN> <DIV class=AOLPromoFooter> <HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px"> AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at <A href="http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000437" target=_blank><B>AOL.com</B></A>.<BR></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>