<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40" xmlns:o = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1 = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content=Word.Document name=ProgId> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1400" name=GENERATOR> <META content="Microsoft Word 10" name=Originator><LINK href="cid:filelist.xml@01C46BDB.69EAC560" = rel=File-List><o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="Street"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="address"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="time"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="date"></o:SmartTagType> <STYLE>  </STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY lang=EN-US id=role_body style="tab-interval: .5in" = bottomMargin=7 vLink=purple link=blue bgColor=#ffffff leftMargin=7 = topMargin=7 rightMargin=7> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>My guess would be that the hockey stick = bridge of that era sounded worse - actually, my guess is that the transition = bridge evolved before the hockey stick bridge. Does anyone know? = </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>1891 was what, 20 or 25 years after the = first overstrung bass piano? I would guess that there just hadn't been enough = trial and error with the stringing scales and matching soundboard design to = these scales to predictably produce good sounding bass/tenor break areas. And = after all, they needed to keep the bass section of the six-foot piano the same = size (number of notes) as the nine-foot piano, so that prevented them from placing 28 or 32 notes on the bass bridge.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I don't really understand the boundless = reverence given to the developers of pianos a hundred years ago. No doubt at all = that many of them were very intelligent, very creative, very inventive - hey, they = basically invented the modern piano. But just like the inventions of = electrical energy, modern medicine, space travel, etc., etc., just because these = were fabulous inventions made by brilliant people doesn't mean that the basic = inventions cannot be improved upon.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>My understanding is that = most Stradivari and Guarneri violins in professional use today have had significant modifications to them to make them more consistent with what is expected = of a modern violin played in a modern orchestra (I'm really not sure what = they do to them - modified neck, bridges???). Only groups that specifically target = making music on period instruments might use one of these violins that even = resembles an original configuration. So if it is OK to modify these instruments to = produce what is generally considered to be a more pleasing sound today, why is = there so much resistance to modifying a first-generation = modern piano?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>As always, if one is targeting = recreating a piano from 1890 because they specifically wish to hear what a new piano = from that era might have sounded like, of course, that is a very legitimate = direction to go. But if you are trying to make the best piano you can, why blindly = throw up your hands and say that it is not possible to improve upon the work of = the "Original Masters"? Now before I get pummeled to death, understand that = I don't think change for the sake of change is necessarily good. Have a good = reason for making changes. Consult with those that know about these kinds of things = and have the experience.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Terry Farrell</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=collin.s@skynet.be = href="mailto:collin.s@skynet.be">Stéphane Collin</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> Sunday, July 18, 2004 = 5:55 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Mason & Hamlin = AA scale.</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi Mark and all.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I run into the same third bridge = problem on my 1891 Steinway A.  It sounds awful, while the rest sounds = great.  Pitty to hear that changing for bichords instead of trichords didn't = help much for the sound.  I feel I could possibly be ready to follow Terry = F to the shop of Del F and ask for redesinging.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Does anyone know what the hell those = splendid engineers of Steinway had in mind when desinging that third bridge ?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Regards,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Stéphane Collin.</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=mark@nhpianos.com href="mailto:mark@nhpianos.com">Mark = Dierauf</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, July 17, 2004 = 2:52 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> RE: Mason & = Hamlin AA scale.</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV class=Section1> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT id=role_document face=Arial = color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">I did an = old S&S A1 over with all <SPAN class=SpellE>bichords</SPAN> on the = third bridge. It still had that “third bridge” tenor sound, but at = least the top 7 <SPAN class=SpellE>bichords</SPAN> were 33% easier to tune! Plus = they damped better.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: = Arial">;-)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">- Mark<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: = Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><FONT = face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">-----Original Message-----<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: = bold">From:</SPAN></B> <A href="mailto:Erwinspiano@aol.com">Erwinspiano@aol.com</A> [mailto:Erwinspiano@aol.com] <BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</SPAN></B> </SPAN></FONT><st1:date = Month="7" Day="17" Year="2004"><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">Saturday, July 17, 2004</SPAN></FONT></st1:date><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"> = </SPAN></FONT><st1:time Hour="0" Minute="1"><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">12:01 AM</SPAN></FONT></st1:time><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"><BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</SPAN></B> = pianotech@ptg.org<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B> Mason & Hamlin = AA scale.</SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><FONT = face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: = 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><FONT face=Arial = color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: = Arial">     To all esteemed scaleheads,<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><FONT face=Arial = color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">  I = just received a AA for a complete rewhatevering & I'm very unimpressed by the bass tenor break. This one is 1919 with = 2 bichords & 7 trichords. With all of our discussions about third = bridges & such I'm drawing the conclusion that this on is ill devised. = Tonally it abysmal to the ear. I learned from a friend who is doing another = dated 1931 that this vintage has all 9 transition notes in bichords. He = & I have yet to hear it as it's not = done.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><FONT face=Arial = color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">  = I'm considering either switching to 9 bichords with the old bridge = but the string lengths seem dreadfully short. Does any one have the string = tension logged for this model. My guess is it would be instructive. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><FONT face=Arial = color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">  = The other option is to do away with most of it and use the small piece that = juts out toward the spine.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><FONT face=Arial = color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">  = Any body out there played with this model?<BR>  My 1950s AA has one long = bridge with 5 bichords. It could have used 6 as note27 is wiry sounding. = Kind of honky& low tensionish. I'll know more when I run the scale.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><FONT face=Arial = color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: = Arial"> It's obviously a design that has been transitional.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><FONT face=Arial = color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: = Arial">   Any thoughts, Ideas?<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><FONT face=Arial = color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: = Arial">   Dale <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><FONT face=Arial = color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: = Arial"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><FONT face=Arial = color=black size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="10"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Erwins = Pianos Restorations <BR></SPAN></FONT><st1:Street><st1:address><FONT = face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">4721 = Parker Rd.</SPAN></FONT></st1:address></st1:Street><FONT face=Arial = color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: = Arial"><BR></SPAN></FONT><st1:City><st1:place><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: = Arial">Modesto</SPAN></FONT></st1:place></st1:City><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">, Ca 95357<BR>209-577-8397<BR>Rebuilt Steinway , Mason &Hamlin = Sales<BR>www.Erwinspiano.com<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV></DIV></DI= V></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>