sanderson Bass strings/scale

[David Love]

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Perhaps this illustrates the potential problems that can arise when =
scaling philosophies put tuning considerations above tonal =
considerations.  Smooth inharmonicity charts may not always produce =
optimum tone.  That being said, I have had good luck using Sanderson's =
rescaling and had a pleasant relationship with them.  None of their =
scales, however, have made changes quite as large as those you suggest.  =
More often there have been  small refinements in gauge switches in the =
low tenor and some switches to higher gauges in the upper two sections.

David Love
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Erwinspiano@AOL.COM=20
  To: pianotech@ptg.org=20
  Sent: November 29, 2001 6:54 AM
  Subject: sanderson Bass strings/scale


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      Had an interesting and perplexing experience recently, I installed =
a new board for a very well known S.F. area tech/rebuilder. This piano =
was a stwy o. I set up the board,bearing and plate and they did the =
stringing.=20
      After the piano was strung he called and expressed some =
disappointment with the sustain which I found strange because that is =
not usually an issue with properly set up rib crowned boards. He went on =
to say that they were working on two "os" at the same time. the other =
"o" had the original board. When I asked him where the sustain problems =
were he said all over. That was a giant clue because as you all know =
stwys do not have sustain problems IN the bass even if the board looks =
like a venetian blind. It was also the same complaint on the other "o"=20
      =20
      He then stated that both pianos were strung with the same bass =
strings and both pianos received an unoriginal string scaling designed =
by Sandersons. He said that the original board "o"sounded much better =
before it was torn down than it did at present.=20
      Having too much tension in a bass scale will choke the sustain in =
any piano. Having too much tension in the bass or  treble cannot only =
change the tone color but choke it as well.=20
    When I spoke at length with his shop foreman he said that the wire =
size on noter 88 had gone from a no.13 to a 14 size wire. That's a huge =
jump in tension. The 2 top trebles apparently received this same whole =
size increase and was the most choked in both pianos.=20
    I explained to them , as Del and Rons have stated many times, that a =
rib scale is designed for a particular string scale. Yes, it is possible =
to make string scale changes on an existing board. Many of us have done =
it but, if the tension changes are too great the tone and sustain will =
be altered in a negative way ,ask me how I know.  Scaling is a wonderful =
tool  but some times it's better not to mess with success and the stwy O =
doesn't , I.M.H.O.,need drastic changes in the stringing  scale.=20
     In stwys capstan lines float because the block placement does and =
so does the  bridge placement. If the length of note 88 is measured on =
several different models say 6 different "Os" the string length often be =
quite short and vary by as much as 1/4".(This is also true of other stwy =
models) These less than 2" speaking lengths reduce tension and therefore =
volume especially in the top octaves. I have been routinely rotating the =
top of the bridge back when installing a new board to accommodate a =
speaking length of 2". This small change makes a modest increase in =
tension using the original scale and improves power and projection in =
the top octave or so.=20
  All that to say that changing  to higher scale tension in this case =
had a compounding negative consequence because of the excessive tension =
of the new Sanderson scale.=20
      Anyway a cut to the chase. The client restrung both "o"s with =
mapes Bass strings and original scales. The sustain , power and sonority =
 returned . From what I understand the client had a  discussion with =
Dave S. who was Quote rude and unprofessional. He did however agree to =
refund his money for strings. But wow the loss of time and labor cost. =
My client said that this was obviously Not the first time that Mr. S. =
has received these complaints=20
    Is this anybody else's experience?=20
      =20

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