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<DIV>Saw my first Yamaha GB-1 today.</DIV>
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<DIV>Someone asked for a scale description. I didn't have time to measure anything but here are my observations.</DIV>
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<DIV>It looks just like the GA-1 except, ta daaaaaa, they have replaced the first six tenor bridge strings with wound bichords (B2 to E3).</DIV>
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<DIV>The first two or three plain-wire notes still tune like low-tension, heavy wire. We'll see how it goes for stability as I will be back for the second "Yamaha Bond" tuning in about three months.</DIV>
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<DIV>The temperament area has a steep deck and heavy underfelt sloping to the agraffs so tuning was not quick or fun and, when the strings and felt get dirty I think it's going to be even less fun.</DIV>
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<DIV>There is no troublesome inharmonicity jump across the bass/tenor break, apparently, but a big one from wound strings to plain, just below the temperament. These are some measured Inharmonicity Constants (TuneLab) ...</DIV>
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<DIV>C1 0.631</DIV>
<DIV>C2 0.157</DIV>
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<DIV>A2 0.183</DIV>
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<DIV>--- Tenor Break ---</DIV>B2 0.139</DIV>
<DIV>C3 0.148</DIV>
<DIV>D#3 0.189</DIV>
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<DIV>--- Plain Wire ---</DIV>
<DIV>F3 0.399</DIV>
<DIV>G3 0.327</DIV>
<DIV>C4 0.429</DIV>
<DIV>F#4 0.558</DIV>
<DIV>C5 0.618</DIV>
<DIV>F#5 0.798</DIV>
<DIV>C6 2.255</DIV>
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<DIV>It didn't make a very pretty calculated tuning curve ...</DIV>
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<DIV><IMG alt="" hspace=0 src="cid:410-22006238256578431@13071999" align=baseline border=0></DIV>
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<DIV>But then, it IS a small scale.</DIV>
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<DIV>Voicing would help (clangy bass, Asian treble) but, overall, it has a nice, sweet tone--when in tune--just like the other small Yamahas. </DIV>
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<DIV>I did some experimenting and found that it is one of those pianos that could really benefit from a good aural tuning, with resulting offsets saved in the TuneLab file. Specifically, I'd make the A3-A4 octave slightly wider (which is quieter) then flatten everything south of A4, slightly, to slow down 4ths and 5ths a tad, even out the bass transition and maybe give the bass a little more muscle (after voicing, I think). I didn't think to analyze the treble octaves, double-8vas, and fifths as time was pressing but, overall, the TuneLab tuning sounds more than acceptable and certainly better than most of the crap pianos I tune, but I digress ...</DIV>
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<DIV>Anyway this owner is a play-by-ear, not-very-good player with a tone-deaf husband and I don't do enough aural to be fast at it, so she gets the computed curve, for now. She asked me to play so I gave her some Debussy, Chopin, and Brahms: She loved it and considering that I am a guitarist, not a pianist, I took it as a compliment to the piano and the tuning, rather than the performance.</DIV>
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<DIV>That is my report. Overall? Better than the GA's ... but consider a Kawaii next time. Or better still: Spring for a few more inches of piano -- maybe a Fandrich & Sons -- (I like 'em).</DIV>
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<DIV>Alan Barnard</DIV>
<DIV>Salem, Missouri</DIV>
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