Bridge caps

[Delwin D Fandrich]

----- Original Message -----
From: <Yardarm103669107@aol.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: April 02, 2001 6:05 PM
Subject: Re: Bridge caps


> Why, then, does a bridge pinned
> shallowly, or a bridge pinned into a cap that is too thick not reaching
the
> bridge trunk, have entirely different tonal characteristics from a bridge
> pinned into the trunk deeply. This is audible and certainly measurable
with
> the proper tools; its audibility is not intuition or invention on my part;
> what accounts for it then?

I'm not at all convinced that this has ever been proven. I've certainly been
unable to do so and I've tried to measure any audible differences between
the various types of bridges, both capped and uncapped, solid and laminated,
horizontally laminated and vertically laminated, etc. After taking into
account -- and compensating for -- the variations in mass between the
various types of bridges there simply aren't any differences to speak of.

And, yes, others have tried to prove this stuff to me. But each time the
'proof' comes along it turns out that there have actually been several
changes made to the system and several variables besides just the length and
depth of the bridge pins in the bridge. Or it turns out to be one of those,
"well, it sounds better to me," sort of things as opposed to a systematic
study and test of the problem. That's ok. If it sounds better to you, do it.
But it isn't proof . . . not by a long stretch.



> Is bridge pinning just a traditional way of
> securing the string over the bridge harking back centuries and having no
> other physical purpose than you purport?

Yes, and not a very good way at that.

Regards,

Del