1 string, 2 strings, 3 strings or more

[Ron Nossaman]

>We have found that when the scale and the soundboard are working together we
>are able to use quite soft hammers--such as those made by Steinway, Ronsen
>and Isaacs--with excellent results and with virtually no lacquer in the
>treble. Even these will generally require some needling through the tenor
>and (sometimes) the bass and upper tenor. We couldn't possibly use Japanese
>or German hammers. At least not as they are sold in the U.S.

Likewise, on all counts. Rather dramatically too, I might add. This is a
tough sell for most of the rebuilders out here (as it was for me before I
assimilated a few more basic soundboard design truths than I had
accumulated at that point), but it's dead on in practice.


>> >Tuning stability is a whole other issue, having less to do with the
>scaling
>> >and more to do with the structural design and the soundboard/rib design.

Primarily, yes, though the tension, elongation factor, and break% are part
of the equation too. It's a package, since we can't separate the real world
effects as a matter of design convenience. This sort of thing is what makes
it difficult to discuss one subset of design parameters exclusive of all
the significant others. Like about everything else in a piano, context is
everything.


>Actually, I was saying--or at least intended to be saying--it does with a
>log scale. For me, at least, that is the starting point.

Absolutely. Don't leave home without it, and don't depart from it at the
scale breaks across the treble struts. It's so pretty when it's right.


>And, as I said earlier, I've not had any trouble with wire breakage with
>C-88 set at 54 mm.
>
>Del

Me too, or either.

Ron N