[pianotech] building with metal

joel a. jones jajones2 at wisc.edu
Tue Dec 1 20:44:54 MST 2009


Andrew,

Do remember if the harpsichord was a Challis or Rutkowski ?  UW- 
Madison had one that we
tuned every couple of years.  Sound wasn't too bad considering that  
the plectra were leather.

Then the early music faculty needed a transposing harpsichord, so  
started another war story.
In the meantime the replacements have been rebuild and replaced while  
the Challis rested in
the practice room.

I think they sold it finally.   But the experience with metal does  
raise the question of this type
of construction for durability and stability.  I think I remember  
someone with a project to make
a similar harpsichord for a yacht being built in Sturgeon Bay.

Anyone know more info about the rumor of Dr. Kent building a piano  
with metal soundboard
and corfam hammers?   Urban legend ?   Or not?

Joel

Joel Jones, RPT
Madison, WI


On Dec 1, 2009, at 7:21 PM, Andrew Anderson wrote:

> I've tuned a harpsichord with a metal bridge and soundboard.   
> Amazingly close to tune six months later too... I wonder why ;-)
>
> I actually liked the sound.  Some odd plectra material though...
>
> Andrew Anderson
> On Dec 1, 2009, at 3:51 PM, Scott Gray wrote:
>
>>
>> Has anyone ever tried to design a bridge made our of metal?  I know  
>> it would sound different but at least it wouldn't crack.
>>
>> Scotty
>




-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech.php/attachments/20091201/5d66416c/attachment-0001.htm>


More information about the pianotech mailing list

This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC