[pianotech] String scaling was BB Mason and Tenor Cross over

[David Love]

That would concur with my experience on 9' pianos.  Those scales I've ordered have not come back with double wraps on the monos.  I don't tend to specify double or single wraps but rather order by dimension (inner core and outer diameter) and let the string maker decide the best way to achieve that.  On most everything up to a B that seems to result in double wrapped monochords, on the D single wrap seems to do the trick.  

David Love
www.davidlovepianos.com

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Ron Nossaman
Sent: Monday, December 21, 2009 1:33 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] String scaling was BB Mason and Tenor Cross over

David Love wrote:
> The issue isn’t the double wrap per se that makes the string sound 
> “better”.  It’s the relationship between the core dimension and 
> the outer dimension that dictates that you need to have two wraps rather 
> than one.  I don’t recall the exact ratio but the outer wrap can’t 
> exceed a certain ratio to the core without having to go to double 
> wraps.  I presume the issue is keeping the wrap tight around a core 
> that’s too thin when compared to the thickness of the copper.  Since 
> I tend to reduce the core dimensions in the monochords they tend to need 
> double wraps.   

I approach it from the other direction. The double wrap ratio 
is nominally 3:1, with the inner copper wire being 1/3 the 
diameter of the outer. A couple of string makers have told me 
they don't like going below 0.017" for the inner wrap, as 
wrapping 0.051" around it too easily damages the inner layer. 
If this is the case (and if it isn't, what is?), it pretty 
much rules out most double wrapped monochords in 9' pianos. 
But with a smaller core and a low bass that isn't grafted into 
the low tenor, single wound works on the big pianos.


> I haven’t found the reduced tension in the bichords to be a problem 
> tonally.  With very high tension down there I just think that the bass 
> changes character too much when compared with the tenor section.  
> Steinways, especially the small ones, tend to be too bass heavy in my 
> view.  A strong bass is nice but I don’t like it to be too 
> overpowering and it needs to blend well.

I agree, even though I've many times listened to someone on a 
piano with a nasty killer octave and DOA treble pound on the 
low end saying "But just LISTEN to that powerful BASS!", as it 
goes BANG BANG BANG!

Going up scale: Bang! Boom! Honk! Bong! Beuaaaghhh! Dink!
Ron N