Restoration (was Re: Historical Pianos)

[Phillip Ford]

>Comments below:
>
>Terry Farrell
>
>
>I would have to say that I don't really have enough experience with
pianos 
>yet to have refined my tastes, let alone know all the details of what 
>design parameters produce preferred qualities. The little bit that I
think 
>I know is smooth, even tone across the whole keyboard (good bass/tenor 
>break - consistent tone - no killer octave and the likelihood that one 
>will not develop for a long time, if ever), a piano with predictable 
>characteristics, a Stanwood-type keyboard/action, good sustain, a singing 

>high treble, enough power for the facility/use. I arrived at these few 
>characteristics by observation and what makes sense to me.
>
>In all honesty, for me, I draw heavily on my fairly broad amateur 
>experience with performance cars and sailboats....
>
>Actually, a dream I have is someday, when I amass at least 873 kajillion 
>tons more knowledge about what makes pianos work, is to design a piano 
>that combines some of the best aspects of the pre-modern piano (maybe 
>something with many characteristics from the early 19th Century) - but it 

>would be a new piano, incorporating modern materials, and any design 
>innovations that have evolved since that time that seem appropriate (like 

>perhaps it would even have a full metal plate, but likely the string 
>tension would be similar to what it might have been back then). The 
>purpose would be to produce a piano that might have many of acoustical 
>properties of the pre-power-power-power pianos, but might incorporate 
>modern bridge-making techniques that would help reduce false beats, or 
>produce a more singing treble.

I have similar ideas, which is one of the reasons that historical pianos interest me.  And also why I am grateful that there are those working to keep them in original shape so that we can learn from them and experience different concepts of what pianos can be.

>
>Whatever, just wild thoughts I am sometimes plagued with.

I have a similar infection.  It sometimes feels like the plague, but I don't think I can get rid of it.

Phil Ford