<HTML><HTML>I wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE CITE STYLE="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px" TYPE="CITE">The staggered lengths formed by the Steinway system are >obviously not to scale, so I suppose that the overall effect was >more important than the ratios of individual notes to backscale </BLOCKQUOTE> JD replies: <BLOCKQUOTE CITE STYLE="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px" TYPE="CITE">What are you saying! The duplex lengths are obviously intended to be, and are in fact, in a simple numerical relationship with the speaking length in order to produce a partial of the fundamental. That's why they're called "tuned partials". << </BLOCKQUOTE> In theory, fine, in practise, not so fine.   I have yet to find a Steinway duplex bar that will accurately produce partials that are related to the notes they are on for more than a few of the notes per bar,  the rest are wildly off.  With individual string rests, it is possible, but with precast duplex bars, it is more of an average than particularly matched to the strings.  To have it exact, the notching on the distal side of the bridge would have to be equally exact, and that just doesn't happen with Steinways.    Walk through a dealership and see how well matched the backscale pitches are to the speaking length. When I last did that, the ratios were all over the map. Regards,    <BLOCKQUOTE CITE STYLE="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px" TYPE="CITE"> </BLOCKQUOTE> Ed Foote RPT http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html ************** Looking for a car that's sporty, fun and fits in your budget? Read reviews on AOL Autos. (http://autos.aol.com/cars-BMW-128-2008/expert-review?ncid=aolaut00050000000017 )</HTML>