Seating Strings: Putting it to Rest/Out of It's Misery

[Richard Brekne]

Yes... and as soon as the any part of the bridge surface, in particular 
the leading edge, lies under the strings deflection line (determined by 
the downbearing angle and the highest point on the bridge) then the 
string will no longer be able to maintain solid contact with the bridge 
for more then a very short period of time...  exactly the opposite 
effect of the stated goal of string seating to begin with.

My last little experiment with bridge pins would indicate that they are 
able to maintain the strings position (horizontal orientation) on the 
bridge pins to a greater degree then some, if not many, might imagine.  
They would especially be able to do on the grand piano this with strings 
in an unseated condition (regardless of cause) because the primary and 
by far greatest pulse is essentially an upwards force.  I would suspect 
on a vertical the opposite would be true. That said... the window for 
the strings stable horizontal position on the string is small, and a 
negative bearing condition for the leading edge of bridges string path  
is under no circumstances a desirable.

Cheers
RicB



Gregor,

Quite simply the disadvantage to "seating strings" is that when one 
presses too hard on the strings, one creates deeper and deeper string 
groves/indentations in the bridge surface.

William R. Monroe