Private post/Steinway Tone Bell

[Erwinspiano@aol.com]

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In a message dated 10/17/2003 3:48:32 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 
michael@gambles.fsnet.co.uk writes:
Hello John Hartman
You've got a really good thread going here - I hope you don't mind me
joining in a bit? My model "A" has, what the London Steinway people call a
"Tone Bell". Is this what you are calling the "Pulsator"? It can be seen to
be there by simply looking at the frame on the treble side. There you will
see, or will not see the square head of what apperas to be a large "carriage
bolt". Looking underneath the piano there is this inverted conical casting.
I note in my rounds that it is only the Steinways with the "Sostenuto" pedal
which has this feature - be it an 85 note or an 88 note keyboard.
As to creating a new piano from scratch I leave that sort of think to that
Italian chap Fazioli (I think that's his name) Anyone had experience of
these "wunder-pianos"?
Regards
Michael G (UK)
       Michael
     The tone bell &  pulsator I asked John about are not the same thing. The 
pulsator is merely a thin strip of maple about 25 mm wide by 7 mm thick by 6 
cm long. Depending on the year this feature intersects 3 to 5 ribs. Looking 
under the piano at the board of a S&S B & C you'll see it in the bass corner. It 
runs 90 Degrees to the ribs and is glued/dowelled to the ribs. The ribs are 
also thinned out & seem to terminate somewhat at this point even thought he 
thinned out flatter portions extend to & are glued into notches in the 
rasten/inner rim. As John said it appears to be an idea that functions like a cutoff bar 
but I'm thinking it may have an effect hard to quantify. Surely they had a 
reason.
  The bell is just a plate stiffening device. A short beam from the belly 
rail to the case in the same area would allow for another nose bolt that could 
take the place of the bell. I cant say the bell has any effect in and of itself 
to influence tone but does stiffen the plate web where it attaches thereby 
influencing tone. There must be a modest down force of the bell bolt to do so 
which by the way will increase the downbearing a small amount (tone effect) These 
bolts also seem to come loose from time to time and cause a weird rattle.
 Does that help?--Dale

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