<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" = http-equiv=Content-Type> <META content="MSHTML 5.00.3105.105" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT size=2>Although I agree with the 1/7 vs. 1/8 strike point = criteria, the reasons for the Bosendorfer's lack of projection results more from = the frame material and design.  My biggest complaint with Bosendorfers ( and = other European grands) that they don't sound well at fff sound = levels.  From ppp to f  they sound quite well. However, pushed beyond that = comfort range ( i.e f to a fff loudness) the sounds transform from a warm, velvet = quality to a  harsh, percussive, and distorted quality which does not lend = itself well with an orchestra or large hall.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>For 99.9999% of musical uses, the Bosendorfer is a = wonderful instrument...one to die for. Extremely well crafted, wonderful = workmanship... a real piece of art.  It's the lack of projection which has always = made it a second choice to Steinway.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>Tom Servinsky, RPT</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: = 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A href="mailto:Wimblees@AOL.COM" = title=Wimblees@AOL.COM>Wimblees@AOL.COM</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org" title=pianotech@ptg.org>pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, July 06, 2001 = 6:05 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Strike Point</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT size=2>In a = message dated 7/6/01 2:45:58 AM Central Daylight Time, <BR><A href="mailto:caute@optusnet.com.au">caute@optusnet.com.au</A> = writes: <BR><BR><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px" TYPE="CITE">Bosendorfer hammer's strike on 1/7 of the string length = and Steinway's <BR>hammers strike on 1/8 of the string length.     True or false. <BR><BR>Because the Bose = strike point is 1/7th, this makes the tone more suitable <BR>to playing with a = string ensemble and in small halls and if played with an <BR>orchestra, = because the 7th partial is missing and the 8th more prominent <BR>the Bose = looses power. <BR><BR>This is the story I read ? somewhere to explain why = Steinways are played <BR>with orchestras and Bosendorfers are not. <BR><BR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>I didn't know Steinway was at 1/8th. I = was under the impression that the <BR>maximum sound, especially in the last = octave, was for 1/7th. <BR><BR>When I first got into the business, I got an = Acrosonic with all the hammers <BR>torn out. Students at the local university got mad = when the school announced <BR>a tuition increase, and they decided to = destroy university property to <BR>protest. Someone opened up the top of the = piano, and raked out all the <BR>hammers, destroying most of the buts, and = some of the wips. The university <BR>gave the piano to one of the music = students, who called me to "fix a couple <BR>of dead keys." <BR><BR>Since I didn't = have samples to go by to replace the hammers, etc. I called <BR>Baldwin and = they told me to cut the shank so that hammer strike point for <BR>note 88 = was at 1/7 of the string length, and then to cut the rest of the <BR>shanks = the same length. Since then I learned that most pianos are built <BR>basically = the same. <BR><BR>I do know Bosy's do not have the carrying power like a = Steinway. But is it <BR>because of the strike point, or other reasons? = <BR><BR>Willem </FONT></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>