[pianotech] Modified L Scale with 5 note transition

Ron Nossaman rnossaman at cox.net
Thu May 28 11:38:45 MDT 2009


David Love wrote:
> Also, based on your chart and having seen previous iterations of your work
> my transitions look a bit different than yours.  Attached are some photos of
> some modified bridges with transition.  One is a B the other one is an L.
> I'm creating a small modification on these in order to accommodate a
> transition that doesn't play with the strike point that much and involves
> adding less "stuff" at the end of the long bridge.  Both use the end segment
> of the original bridge (why waste) cut and added back as the transition.  On
> the L pictured the original bass bridge is used but the cantilever is
> shortened to give a bit more backscale length.  The B has 7 notes on the
> transition, the L has 5.  It does allow for getting a smoother transition
> with tension and Z while having to make only a small compromise in the
> inharmonicity through the transition section.  
> 
> David Love

I don't worry that much about the strike point that low in the 
scale. It does affect tone quality, but I'm not sure where the 
trade off is. I haven't found it to be problematic. There's 
still plenty to learn, and gobs of variables. I'd love to get 
to do five in a row of the same model of something, so I could 
get some side by side comparisons without having to rely so 
much on faulty two or eight year old memory to try incremental 
changes. Answers could come a lot faster if so much time 
wasn't spent making a living.


>   My first modified is much more like this and it certainly looks better on
> paper but it represents a bit of a drop off from the original bi-chord
> tensions in the bass and I go back and forth about how to treat that
> section.  The original does jump up a bit too much for me and makes the
> tenor bass break awkward.  Adding the transition certainly helps.  However,
> dropping that bichord section down too low could also make the bass sound a
> slightly weak to some who are used to something different.  How do you think
> about that.   
> 
> David Love

I didn't find it to be a problem, but going up a thousandth in 
core size if necessary and increasing wrap to add another 
10lbs per string wouldn't be a problem either. I just tried 
it, and don't see why it wouldn't work. I personally find the 
too typical booming upper bass much more objectionable than 
one that more nearly matches volume level with the low tenor. 
There should be very little hammer voicing necessary to get 
the transition under control. And part of that volume control 
is soundboard assembly stiffness at the bridge ends.

Ron N
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