Mason & Hamlin scale design

David Ilvedson ilvey@jps.net
Sat, 03 Mar 2001 07:57:43 -0800


Yes!

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 3/2/01 at 7:12 AM larudee@pacbell.net wrote:

>David,
>
>How do you know it's really a Baldwin?  That scale is not so unusual and I
>ran into a fake (cheap piano painted over with a Baldwin decal) not so
>long ago.  Was sold to my client by a reseller in Marin some 20 years ago.
> Is the Baldwin name actually cast into the plate?
>
>Paul Larudee
>
>David Ilvedson wrote:
>
>> Alright, I've got a question.  Baldwin grand, about 5' 7" (didn't
>actually measure), poorly "restored", plate serial and model numbers
>covered when refinished.  Fallboard folds into itself ala old Chickerings,
>which I thought was unusual for a Baldwin, front of keyframe has 4 numbers
>embossed...9507.  Pierce says between 1895 and 1900?  I couldn't find any
>other #.  I brought this piano up from -40 and everything was fine except
>the 6 tenor wound strings were 2 whole steps flat.  I brought up the first
>and bang.  I tried another and bang.  Decided to replace all six strings. 
>The windings didn't look particularly well lined up so I'm not sure I want
>to use them as samples.  Why would they break?  I called Baldwin and with
>the info I gave:  10 single string unisons, 16 double string unisons in
>the bass & 3 double string unisons in the tenor, the technician said it
>matched the R scale.  I went ahead and ordered tenor duplicates as per
>that scale.  Is this a waste of time?  I c!
>ou!
>> ld go back and measure from hitch pin to winding etc. but that means an
>extra trip....
>>
>> David I.
>>
>> *********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********
>>
>> On 2/28/01 at 11:56 AM Conrad Hoffsommer wrote:
>>
>> >At 07:41 02/28/2001 -0800, you wrote:
>> >>Mic the strings before you destring next time...
>> >>
>> >>David I.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >Easy on him, Dave, he's just had a learning experience.
>> >
>> >Oh, for the days of learning experiences instead of senior moments...
>> >
>> >The rescaling idea isn't a bad one though.  I redid a 6'4" Chickering
>> >once,
>> >dutifully measured the scale, and ran those numbers through a rescaling
>> >program.  WOW! It was horrible!
>> >
>> >I worked out a new scale.  Then, upon cleaning the plate, I uncovered
>the
>> >factory numbers. Nowhere close to how I had found it strung.  Hmmmm.
>> >
>> >Don't trust what you find with your micrometer to be what you need.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >Conrad Hoffsommer - Music Technician -mailto:hoffsoco@luther.edu
>> >Luther College, 700 College Drive, Decorah, Iowa 52101-1045
>> >Voice-(319)-387-1204  //  Fax (319)-387-1076(Dept.office)
>> >
>> >Education is the best defense against the media.





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