This is a new soundboard project so I’m able to place the bridge a bit
better. In reality, since it’s the original bridge I will likely have to
make some modifications to this when I actually lay it out—I’m not making a
new bridge body. Most of those modifications are in the tenor section,
notes 54 – 32, in this case. The bridge doesn’t have a perfect logarithmic
shape, though moving notes 27 – 31 onto the transition bridge helps. The
best way to get all the lines to smooth out is to have a logarithmic pattern
through the plain wire section but that’s not always possible with the
original bridge and/or plate so you settle for a semi-logarithmic pattern,
as Del has referred to it, where each section has its own log base. You can
do that in the bass section and the transition section as well which will
have the bass bridge curving the other way. There are different ways to
play with that and as I mentioned previously most of the models which I
either use or deviate from come from Del and Ron. Anyway, I can get the
capo section onto the bridge body fine with a log scale but lower down I may
have to compromise. Not a lot or enough to really effect the spread sheet
badly, but in end the curve won’t look quite so nice and the string gauge
switches won’t fall into such a nice 4646 pattern. There are also ways to
widen the bridge cap some in the areas where otherwise you get too close to
the edge but I’m not doing that on this one.
I’ve been playing with and looking at scales now for a few years but I admit
the learning curve is steep and translating what you see on a spreadsheet to
what you hear in practice is yet a steeper (and more expensive) curve to
navigate. Hell of a lot of fun though and it sure helps explain a lot of
what you hear day to day when you actually lay it out and look at it. There
are, of course, some serious other factors to consider—soundboard response
in particular.
David Love
www.davidlovepianos.com
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of William Truitt
Sent: Thursday, May 28, 2009 3:08 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Modified L Scale with 5 note transition
Very nice, David.
What kinds of things did you do in the plain wire in the treble past the
transistor bridge to smooth out the tension, Z, and inharmonicity? Did you
play with the speaking lengths as part of your strategy?
Will Truitt
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of David Love
Sent: Thursday, May 28, 2009 10:25 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Modified L Scale with 5 note transition
And this is yet another version that I’m playing with that is more in
keeping with the original Steinway bass section balance yet smoothing the
transition between tenor and bass and upping the tension at the top of the
treble bridge to try and gain a bit more strength at the top. I know you
don’t’ have the absolute numbers but you get the idea. You can have fun
with this stuff forever but at some point you have to put it on the piano
and see what happens.
David Love
www.davidlovepianos.com
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of David Love
Sent: Thursday, May 28, 2009 7:11 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Modified L Scale with 5 note transition
I’ve put them both here so you can see a side by side comparison.
Original Scale
Modified Scale
David Love
www.davidlovepianos.com
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Greg Newell
Sent: Thursday, May 28, 2009 5:23 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Modified L Scale with 5 note transition
David,
That looks like it will be a pretty good modification. Any
chance that we could see the “before” scale for comparison?
Greg Newell
Greg's Piano Forté
www.gregspianoforte.com
216-226-3791 (office)
216-470-8634 (mobile)
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