<!doctype html public "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <html><head><style type="text/css"></style><title>Re: rear string lengths</title></head><body> <div>Hi Dale (Erwin),</div> <div><br></div> <div>I am replying to your post re the belly width across the bass end of the grand, when you referred to it as scale width (I am at home on Sat night, so I haven't got your quote with me since it arrived at the workshop earlier today). And yes I do come up for air occasionally, if only to read what you list folks are discussing.</div> <div><br></div> <div>The shorter grand designs I have on computer<font color="#0000FF"> (not built yet)</font> tend to be wider across the back also since as a general rule, I design shorter instruments with more notes in the bass section than is usual - for percentage of breaking strain scaling reasons). Interestingly, for most grand pianos<font color="#0000FF"> (regardless of wether it is a 'sawn-off' or a concert grand)</font>, the measurement perpendicular to the straight side, when measured from outer/inner rim joint and across the upper end of the bass bridge to the rim at the treble side, usually falls between the size range of 900 to 950<font color="#0000FF"> (I just checked our 280 concert grand on CAD and it measures 946 mm)</font>. Very few rims are wider than 950 mm for this measurement<font color="#0000FF"> (if anyone would like a diagram of the measurement I'm referring to online let me know)</font>.</div> <div><br></div> <div>Regarding your point about the Mason 6' having a decent cross regardless of the bichord covered scaling on the lower end of the treble bridge, I take your point. But crossover tone is perhaps more heavily influenced by the proximity of the bridge ends to the rim, than by scaling factors. While poor scaling can contribute to a problem crossover, it is more likely to effect tune-ability than cross over tone. A case in point is the Böendorfer 6'7". We've just completed a rebuild of a 20 year old example and the cross over tone is quite satisfactory, although the scale is a bit of a mess since it runs down to B27 on the long bridge with plain wire<font color="#0000FF"> (like many other 200 cm pianos which shouldn't follow suit)</font>. I haven't really looked closely at the 6' Masons, though I saw a 7' piano at Reno.</div> <div><br></div> <div>Ron O.</div> <x-sigsep><pre>-- </pre></x-sigsep> <div>_______________________<br> <br> OVERS PIANOS - SYDNEY<br> Grand Piano Manufacturers<br> <br> Web: http://overspianos.com.au<br> mailto:info@overspianos.com.au<br> _______________________</div> </body> </html>