<HTML>In a message dated 7/5/2002 12:47:26 PM Pacific Daylight Time, pianobuilders@olynet.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Subj:Re: Bridge design Date:7/5/2002 12:47:26 PM Pacific Daylight Time From:<A HREF="mailto:pianobuilders@olynet.com">pianobuilders@olynet.com</A> Reply-to:<A HREF="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> To:<A HREF="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> Sent from the Internet <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">----- Original Message ----- From: <A HREF="mailto:davidlovepianos@earthlink.net">David Love</A> To: <A HREF="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</A> Sent: July 05, 2002 9:25 AM Subject: Bridge design On a Steinway M there are several gaps between the bridge and the soundboard at the lower end of the treble/tenor bridge.  What is the purpose of those gaps in design, and if one were remaking a bridge for that instrument, would you duplicate that design? David Love</BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE> <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px"> David, Del   I've often wondered the same thing about the M bridge. A while back I think we talked about floating sound boards and bridge modifications in this area as well.   Oddly enough I just purchased 2 Mason As . One from 1929 and the other 1931. Thw 1929 has the usual long tenor bridge and the other has a modified tenor bridge. The bridge makes an abrupt swing towards the staight /bass side of the case. This shortens up the speaking length bout 3 or 4 inches and on it are of course 5 wrapped bi-chord unisons. The plate area at the agraffes is also shortened appox. an inch.   I found this to have a very good bass tenor break and a step in the right direction with this model considering the break with plain wire has been changed i different wire size configurations over time. And with not much success. To bad that Mason& Hamlin didn't stick with it. No doubt more costly .SO WHAT. Any rebuilder could easily duplicate this modification except the agraffe change.   What say ye.   >>>>Dale Erwin>>></BLOCKQUOTE>        <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">A better solution would be to straighten out the scaling in that area and use an extension on the end of the tenor bridge to stiffen up the end of the bridge -- even better, design in a transition bridge -- and/or redesign the ribbing, and leave out the gaps. Del </BLOCKQUOTE> </HTML>