<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16414" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY id=role_body style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Arial" bottomMargin=7 leftMargin=7 topMargin=7 rightMargin=7><FONT id=role_document face=Arial color=#000000 size=2> <DIV> <DIV>  David</DIV> <DIV>  THe first tension specs I calculated on note 21 says more like 105 to 110 lbs per string.  Hence the rubber band sound. The description of the problems you elaborate on below is a of course the reason this is done.  Being conservative though I installed only 4 bichords which to my ears are the worst offenders to my ears. Boosting the next two plain wire notes to size 20 also smoothed the entire effect. It's really a very sonorous transition. I also chose to not cut off the bottom of the existing bridge, in case, later on when the belly is replaced, & some one else wants to revert to the original scale, they can.</DIV> <DIV>  The real proof of the magic is to listen to astute players lay there hands on the keys & then comment. It may be a subjective thing but never the less a real change.  I also double wrap the mono -chords  on every Steinway/others  except C's & D's. <U>Again, to my ear</U> the fundamental improvement is dramatic. </DIV> <DIV>   As a note on the subjective, Jim Arledge disagrees with me & I'm good with that.  I know what my ears are telling me. He did a beautiful job on the strings.</DIV> <DIV> Call me tomorrow I'll give you the lengths</DIV> <DIV>  Dale</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000080 size=2> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">I have a B coming into the shop that I will do the same thing with as the customer is very unhappy with the scale transition from tenor to bass.  When you look at the scale on that piano you find that note 21 on the original drops down into the 125 lb range from upwards of 155-160 higher up in the scale.  No wonder the bottom of the tenor on a B sounds like rubber bands.  When you add the high tension leap into the bass, that transition is impossible to smooth out—voicing can’t solve all problems!  Separating the bass bridge from the tenor gives the lower part of the bass bridge more mobility and, when combined with a bit of rescaling the core dimensions, should enhance the fundamental down there.  I think this is a good solution.  What are the new speaking lengths of notes 21 through 24?</SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"></SPAN></FONT> </P> <DIV> <P><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy">David Love<BR>davidlovepianos@comcast.net<BR>www.davidlovepianos.com</SPAN></FONT><FONT color=navy><SPAN style="COLOR: navy"> </SPAN></FONT></P></DIV></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV></FONT><BR><BR><BR><DIV><FONT style="color: black; font: normal 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF;"><HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px">See what's free at <A title="http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000503" href="http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000503" target="_blank">AOL.com</A>. </FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>