High-tension or Low-tension?

[John Delacour]

At 09:37 21/09/01 +1000, Overs Pianos wrote:

>>. . Brinsmead is worth a lot of examination and applied a great deal of attention to his string scales as well as to every other aspect of his pianos, which are among the very best.
>
>Well this is indeed a surprise. Are you just taking John Brinsmead's word for the quality of their instruments, or it is something that you have noticed.

I ought not to rise to the bait but my 1880's vertical, garlanded with medals won at exhibitions in three Australian cities and bearing the insignia of the Légion d'Honneur, presented by the French to JB I guess for his gallantry in the resistance against the Erard action, insists that I should!

This upright, apart from its exquisite case, has a soundboard with adjustable crown (not yet required) and a 30 mm. high bridge which, apart from negotiating the bar very correctly, is also specially profiled about half-way between the tenor bar and the treble bar to accommodate the string scale.  Every detail of the materials and construction of this piano is of the highest quality.

Until a few years ago I also kept a 6'3" grand at home and parted with it to a French dealer who had nagged me for three years to sell it to him for his daughter, who is now a pupil of Marta Argerich's and adores the piano, though she has worn out the action.  Next year I shall be in a position to renew the action with a modification that completely eliminates the its one major weakness.

What puts the Brinsmead grand in a class of its own from the tonal point of view is the "sostenente" soundboard.  Last year I rebuilt a 5'6" model of the same construction and this too is a fine piano and would knock a Steinway 'O' into a cocked hat.

JD