I tuned a '71 Acrosonic for a customer, and got a call shortly afterwards saying a few bass notes sound funny or out of tune or something. I was close by and said I'd stop and retune any notes that might have strayed. As soon as I played the piano I knew, uh oh, bass bridge has come unglued, you know the sound, volume down 50%, that thwacky impact noise, etc. Indeed, the bass bridge had come loose from the apron, and you can see a 1/16th inch or more of space between the bridge and the apron at the upper end. It is still touching at the lower bass end. I will return later this summer to glue and screw it back together again to restore the glorious tone it once had. My question is this: Am I wrong to assume that because I see that gap, the bridge and strings are holding the soundboard 'up'? That is, the soundboard has no (for lack of a better term) natural counter-downbearing force, and, unstrung, would the bridge would sit lower than the bass string plane? I know it doesn't matter very much in this piano in this situation. And yet I idly muse. Note to self: Muse loftier in future. Oh well...... Ken Jankura RPT Newville, PA
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