<html> <head> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 10 (filtered)"> <style>  </style> </head> <body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=blue> <div class=Section1> Just in case I wasn’t clear, the idea of integrating these three elements (scale, soundboard and hammer) is something, the importance of which, Del Fandrich really has impressed upon me and I’ve heard it successfully put into practice many times over the past several years.  While there are clearly choices to be made about what level appeals to us, the idea of integrating the three elements is, in my experience, critical.    <div> David Love davidlovepianos@comcast.net www.davidlovepianos.com </div> -----Original Message----- From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of David Love Sent: Tuesday, April 03, 2007 4:55 PM To: 'Pianotech List' Subject: RE: RE: Re: Steinway B Scale Conversion   While it does end up being about what we are hearing, there are some theoretical issues that are worth addressing.  In the case of wholesale changes to the overall scale on a Steinway (as you suggest), I would be concerned that the increase in tensions could be problematic.  Not only might it increase the total load putting quite a bit of additional stress on the plate, a significant increase in overall string tension on the original board would tend to dis-integrate the match between string scale, soundboard design and hammer density/mass/resilience.  Not a new idea, as is nicely illustrated in the recent book edited by Del Fandrich “Tone Building”, but one that seems to have been lost.  Recent trends by some scalers to increase tension in order to boost power illustrates this nicely (if you’ve heard one).  Increases in overall tension on the existing soundboard (which itself has likely lost some of it’s own spring tension) can create an imbalance that, while might be compensated for by reduced bearing and reduced hammer mass and/or density, would probably create other tonal problems.  Changing scales to smooth out irregularities is one thing.  Wholesale changes in tension, in my view, need to be accompanied by matching changes in soundboard design and hammer selection and the resulting piano will be quite different from the original not matter what you do.  While there is clearly some tolerance this way or that way, there does seem to be the need to keep things reasonably integrated: high tension, stiffer assembly, denser hammer; or low tension, lighter assembly, softer hammer.  A random shuffling of the deck seems to be asking for trouble.    <div> David Love davidlovepianos@comcast.net www.davidlovepianos.com </div>   </div> </body> </html>