<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD><TITLE>Re: rear string lengths</TITLE> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <STYLE type=text/css>BLOCKQUOTE { PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px } DL { PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px } UL { PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px } OL { PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px } LI { PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px } </STYLE> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2600.0" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT size=2>So what would be your typical string deflection = angle in the treble and tenor sections, and how much would you back it off in a = short, tuned, backscale as one would find in an S&S?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>David Love</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=pianobuilders@olynet.com href="mailto:pianobuilders@olynet.com">Delwin D Fandrich</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> December 05, 2002 9:47 = PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: rear string = lengths</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080></FONT> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000080 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=davidlovepianos@earthlink.net href="mailto:davidlovepianos@earthlink.net">David Love</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> December 05, 2002 4:59 = PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: rear string = lengths</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>We don't have the luxury of that much backscale = length on the standard S&M, I mean S&S where zero bearing is the usual = target.   I assume that is one of yours.  </FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 = size=2>It's a M&H BB.</FONT></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=2></FONT> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000080 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV><FONT size=2>I am curious about the bearing in the treble = section as it relates to backscale length.  Minimizing the bearing in the = bass is something I am aware of for the reasons you mention.  But what = about in the treble.  Would you consider modifying the bearing there = depending on backscale length? </FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 = size=2>Depends on what you mean by "modify." And what you mean by "bearing." I go by string deflection angles and adjust distance bearing to give me the string = deflection angle I'm after. No, I don't vary that much at all. Unless I'm working = on one of the S&S pianos with that ridiculously short tuned duplex = backscale they used for a while. Then I back off some.</FONT></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=2></FONT> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000080 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV><FONT size=2>And back to the question posted earlier and = addressed to some degree by Ron O., what is the ideal backscale length for each section?  How much must the backscale length deviate from the = ideal length before you would consider modifying the bearing (if you would)?</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 = size=2>Well, I can tell you what I like to see back there, but as to whether or not it is = ideal I can't really say. I'm not yet convinced there is an <EM>ideal</EM>. = Probably more like an ideal range. Or, perhaps, an ideal for each type of scale = -- long, short, high-tension, low-tension, etc. -- modified by the characteristics of the soundboard. </FONT></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 = size=2>Generally I like to see (starting from the top of a typical 4-section scale) from 50 to = 100 mm in the top section; from 75 to 150 mm in the next section down; from = 150 to 200 mm in the tenor section; and whatever you can get in the bass. = This depends a lot on what you want out of the bass and on how long the = piano is. I'd be happy with 100 mm in a 150 cm grand but not in a 275 cm piano. </FONT></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=2></FONT> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000080 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV><FONT size=2>And something else I've always wondered about, = why, on many pianos,</FONT><FONT size=2> do hitch pins in the treble and = tenor of many pianos not follow the curve of the bridge, but seem to go in a = zig zag sort of pattern? </FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=2>A = safety device to avoid setting up a stress line in the quite brittle gray iron casting.</FONT></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 = size=2>Del</FONT></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=2></FONT> </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>