bridge Agraffes

[A440A@aol.com]

John Peters writes;
> I also just worked on a Hallet & Davis 48...a 6' (?) grand that had
> agraffes attached to the bridge!  I don't recall ever noticing that
> design before..

My first piano, (my mothers 1889 Hallet & Davis upright,  faux rosewood
finish, solid maple, no veneer,), had agraffes on the bridge,  but not
regular agraffes,  these things had the string entrance and exit angles set
so that every other note was positive in its bearing, and the others were
negative, by a whole lot, like 3/16" difference between the strings as the
came off the bridge.  The soundboard was absolutly flat, and the piano was
incredibly stable.  The sound is not brilliant, but I really don't know what
they were striving for at the time.

regards,
Ed Foote