By cast-in top bridge I'm assuming you mean what we would call a cast-in capo tastro bar? I've seen quite a few of these in early U.S. built instruments but I don't know that they go back quite that far. I haven't really tried to keep track. Steinway, among others, was using them across the top two sections by then, but not the whole way down. ddf | -----Original Message----- | From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org | [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of John Delacour | Sent: March 29, 2008 3:22 PM | To: Pianotech List | Subject: RE: Major Surgery | | I don't know for how long Brinsmead ran this design. I've | not seen it before and I doubt whether many pianos were made | to this pattern. | I have also never seen a Brinsmead with a cast-in top bridge | like this and I think this is the key. Much later many small | grands used a cast-in bridge but my guess is that the | technology for casting such a frame was not developed and | there were problems for the foundry in combining this design | with a more rational plate. | | I've never come across such an early piano with a cast-in top | bridge all the way through. It's even possible Brinsmead was | the first to try it. Have you come across any American | pianos as early as this with a cast-in top bridge? | | JD | | |
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