<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 10 (filtered)"> <style>  </style> </head> <body bgcolor=white lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple> <div class=Section1> Hello David,   I think the high end manufacturer = you’re thinking of is Bösendorfer. I would imagine that less mass in the = bass bridge equals a cleaner transfer of energy from the string to the soundboard, = but I’m certainly no authority on the subject.   Jonathan Finger = RPT       -----Original = Message----- From: = pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Dave Nereson Sent: Wednesday, March = 26, 2003 2:43 AM To: pianotech@ptg.org Subject: more bridge = design   <div>     I've noticed on some large = grands (I forget which make), the bass bridge will have several = large holes drilled through it.  I'm not sure why -- I imagine it's to reduce = the mass for some reason -- maybe so the soundboard isn't = "burdened" with a large block of wood riding on it.  Yet, the necessary = downward pressure of the strings is also a humongous burden.   If I'm = not mistaken, this is found only in high quality concert grands, or maybe = only in one make.   But a few weeks ago, I saw the same feature in an Eavestaff minipiano.  This is a little oddball spinet, = British company, but made in the U.S. by Hardman, Peck & Co., = New York.  [I don't know if Hardman made them under contract with Eavestaff or if = they made only the ones sold stateside.]  It was hell to work on, and I = hope I never see another one.  But the bass bridge had holes drilled = through it just like the Bosendorfer Imperial or whoever it is that uses that feature.  </div> <div>     Now here the violin bridge = analogy may come in again -- i.e., the bridge is not a solid block of wood, but = has as many "holes", or open spaces in it as = possible. </div> <div>     Does anybody know which large grand it is that has the holey bass bridge = and what the reason for the holes is?    --David Nereson, RPT, Denver  </div> </div> </body> </html>