At 08:29 17/09/01 +0100, Barrie Heaton wrote: >Overs Pianos <sec@overspianos.com.au> writes > >Some early Blüthner pianos also were equipped with adjustable > >flanges. > > > >Ron O > >I am going to tune on next week its an over damper if I remember they >are brass with a cloth bushing. If I have time and the client is willing >I will take some photos. It is mainly on these big old overdamper models that the adjustable brass flange is to be found. The whole action on these pianos is very elaborate, including the overdamper mechanism, which is _almost_ acceptable. These flanges are very brittle and it is not unusual to found them cracked at the place where the brass is folded. Brass from that period does not age well and it would certainly be possible to manufacture flanges to the same pattern using a more durable material, but this really is an example of over-engineering and the cost could not be justified even in those days (ca. 1895). An even more wonderful example is the keys of the Becker grand piano (of St. Petersburg, as played by Tchaikovsky) which besides having the sides covered in ivory (like Kirkman), has a beautiful arrangement for adjusting both the front bushings and the chases using sliding hornbeam blocks with tiny brass screws. On close examination of an Australian piano recently premiered at St. David's Hall in Cardiff, I observed that over-engineering is still alive and well in the anitpodes. The bass strings of this piano pass from the wrest-pin through the very expensive agraffes used throughout only to end up passing under the capo tasto that in reality is the front bridge. The only purpose I could see for the agraffe things was to act as a reserve in case anyone should inadvertently saw through the capo bar! JD
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