Tuning pin size?

[larudee@pacbell.net]

Farrell wrote:

> No, no, no. I am serious that I would LIKE to do that. Would that cause a
> problem? Are open-faced blocks typically thicker? Leave the plate part where
> the pinblock screws are, cut out the webbed area where the pins are, angle
> the pins back a bit more because the coils would be a quarter-inch lower,
> and there you go! You would be increasing the angle a bit of the last thing
> the string goes over - agraffe, forward aliquot bar, or whatever. Would that
> cause a problem? Should this not theoretically work just fine? Do you think
> it is safe to assume that plates are strong enough in the pin block area
> that removal of the iron tuning pin area would not compromise strength?

One problem might be string clearance over the forward edge of the
plate.  Open
face pin blocks like Bechstein's are sculpted so that they fit a lowered
plate
profile in that area.

> Why do all new pianos (and for the last 100 years) have the plate covering
> over the pinblock in the tuning pin area. Why did manufacturers get away
> from open pinblocks???????

I attended a talk and spoke with Leo Duricic of Bechstein at the
California PTG
Convention in February.  He says there are two reasons not to use the
open face
system.  The first is cost.  It takes almost four times as long to fit
the pin
block to the plate in this type of design.  It you used a vac-pro plate,
computerized cutting of the block and large scale production you might
be able
to make it more economical, but he says they won't use vac-pro plates
because
their acoustic characteristics are not as good.  Each block therefore
has to be
custom fitted.

The other reason is, according to him, that they can't get equivalent
power with
an open face pin block.  They pair open blocks with capped agraffes
(instead of
capo bars), which give the type of sound that they want on their
non-concert
size grands.  Their newest concert grands, however, use closed blocks
and capos
because concert pianists demanded more power.  I'm not sure why one
design would
deliver more power than the other, but I bet we can get lots of
interesting
ideas on the subject from anyone who would like to speculate.

Paul Larudee