Predicting string behavior

[Delwin D Fandrich]

Alan W Deverell wrote:

> Wayne Stuart has done this - a agreffe styled device replacing the
> conventional bridge pin - now used on all his grands.
>
> http://www.newcastle.edu.au/department/fmu/stuart1.html

----------------------------------------


Many builders have done this over the years.  Sohmer and Hallet & Davis come
quickly to mind -- I don't know if it has been done in European pianos.  Most of
these devices also have problems.  For one, they are notoriously hard on
bridges.  The only one I've encountered so far that has survived intact for some
years has been one of the Sohmer designs.  That one worked quite well but must
have been quite difficult to build.  (It required some fairly complicated bridge
work aft of the agraffe.)

I would like to know more about the device used in the Stuart piano.  The
photographs in Mr Stuart's web site do not have enough detail to be very
informative.

I have worked on such devices on and off for some years.  So far I haven't come
up with anything I've been overly happy with, but I dislike the traditional
bridge pin arrangement enough to keep trying.  If Mr Stuart's device works well
and proves to be viable (i.e., reliable) over the long haul, my hat is off to
him.

Regards,

Del