<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-2"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2963" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY style="WORD-WRAP: break-word; khtml-nbsp-mode: space; khtml-line-break: after-white-space" bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=549575321-23012007>This is a very interesting explanation. I too believe that at least some of the high-end manufacturers didn't choose to use hockey-stick bridges because they wanted to save on a few extra bass strings.</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=549575321-23012007>Just look at a pre-war Bechstein piano and you'll see that the attention to detail and workmanship is very good.</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=549575321-23012007>It is possible that it was thought as a way of better blending the scale transition to bass strings, especially given the ideas regarding the way bridges work, and where they should be placed, which existed at the time.</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=549575321-23012007>They might have also had reasons related to less developed string winding techniques etc.</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=549575321-23012007></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=549575321-23012007>The ends of the bridges were never Bechstein's strong points in my opinion. Most of their models have some weakness at the break, in the lowest bass or highest treble. But when you play a decent old Bechstein (as opposed to checking individual notes and stuff) you seldom are disturbed by problems at the break. I'm not saying they aren't there, just that they are not obvious during playing.</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=549575321-23012007></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=549575321-23012007>What Bechstein achieved better than most (in their older pianos) is the crystalline singing quality of the tenor and treble range, which is rarely surpassed. And don't forget that it's there where most of the music gets played. </SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=549575321-23012007></SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=549575321-23012007></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=549575321-23012007>I hope that Ron Overs was able to retian that special Bechstein tone in his rebuild. Please keep sending pictures and maybe a recording when the piano is finished.</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=549575321-23012007></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=549575321-23012007> <P><FONT size=2>Calin Tantareanu<BR><A href="http://calin.haos.ro/">http://calin.haos.ro</A><BR>--------------------</FONT> </P></SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=549575321-23012007></SPAN></FONT> </DIV><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left> <HR tabIndex=-1> <FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <B>On Behalf Of </B>alan forsyth<BR><B>Sent:</B> marţi, 23 ianuarie 2007 01:22<BR><B>To:</B> Pianotech List<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: A tenor bridge conversion<BR></FONT><BR></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=549575321-23012007> ... </SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><STRONG>As to why the manufacturers did it their way, I can only assume that it was to keep the harmonics in line as far down the scale as was possible. No matter how well a scale is designed ther</STRONG><FONT face="Arial Rounded MT Bold" size=3>e will always be a noticeable change in the harmonic content of the sound as soon as you reach the bass crossover point i.e. the change from plain strings to wound strings.</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial size=2>AF</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT></STRONG> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=549575321-23012007> ... </SPAN></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>