<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <TITLE>Message</TITLE> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16544" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY> <DIV><SPAN class=078335403-14012008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Wim --</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=078335403-14012008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=078335403-14012008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>BUT... As I understand it, one of the important reasons for the X and Y axis to terminate at exactly the same point, (at the bridge), is that if one axis is different than the other then the string is essentially a different length in one axis than the other. This increases inharmonicity and causes conflicting partials in the two axis. This is a similar reason as to why the windings on bass strings must be the same length and end at the same distance from BOTH termination points. I understand that, among other things, equal termination at the bridge equates to maximum transfer of energy to the soundboard, but doesn't unequal termination at the agraffe or capo bar cause distortion in the string waveform that not only increases inharmonicity and unwanted conflicting partials but also a loss in overall energy?</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=078335403-14012008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=078335403-14012008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>I don't mean to start an argument. I'm really just interested in the mechanical logic of this centuries old manufacturing practice. For all I know the contribution of any errors at the agraffe or capo bar may be so insignificant as to be unworthy of consideration. I'm just curious. </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=078335403-14012008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=078335403-14012008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>-- Geoff Sykes, Los Angeles</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=078335403-14012008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=078335403-14012008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=078335403-14012008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=078335403-14012008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV></DIV> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <B>On Behalf Of </B>Willem Blees<BR><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, January 13, 2008 7:22 PM<BR><B>To:</B> pianotech@ptg.org<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: String termination question<BR><BR></FONT></DIV> <DIV>Geoff</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>As Annie indicated, the string needs to go over the bridge for the vibrations to transfer from the string to the soundboard. The string needs to be seated at both sides of the bridge, so that the vibration is transferred without interference. If the string is not seated, then there will not be a solid transfer of the vibrating string. <BR><BR>See what happens when you start thinking. <IMG height=19 alt=: src="http://o.aolcdn.com/cdn.webmail.aol.com/33706/aol/en-us/images/aimex/cry.gif" width=19 (? NOSEND="1"><BR><BR></DIV> <DIV style="CLEAR: both">Willem (Wim) Blees, RPT<BR>Piano Tuner/Technician<BR>Honolulu, HI<BR>Author of <BR>The Business of Piano Tuning<BR>available from Potter Press<BR>www.pianotuning.com</DIV><BR><BR>-----Original Message-----<BR>From: Geoff Sykes <thetuner@ivories52.com><BR>To: Pianotech@Ptg. Org <pianotech@ptg.org><BR>Sent: Sun, 13 Jan 2008 3:42 pm<BR>Subject: String termination question<BR><BR> <DIV id=AOLMsgPart_2_38a532cc-92b0-4bfd-a1c9-d8d0a04e3620> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=343043301-14012008>Greetings All --</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=343043301-14012008></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=343043301-14012008>I made the mistake of thinking the other day, and I started wondering why piano strings are terminated at the bridge on both the X and Y axis but at the capo bar, or agraffe, on only the X, (or perhaps that's Y depending on how you are looking at it), axis. We go to lengths to make sure the strings are seated properly at the bridge so that there is a definite and precise termination in both planes at the bridge and bridge pin. Why then is the lack of termination in both planes not a problem at the agraffe and capo bar end? </SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=343043301-14012008></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=343043301-14012008>-- Geoff Sykes, Los Angeles</SPAN></FONT></DIV></DIV> <DIV class=AOLPromoFooter> <HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px"> More new features than ever. Check out the new <A href="http://o.aolcdn.com/cdn.webmail.aol.com/mailtour/aol/en-us/text.htm?ncid=aolcmp00050000000003" target=_blank>AOL Mail</A>!<BR></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>