<!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 content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1276" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><SPAN class=264561616-31122003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff = size=2>I should say that indeed downbearing is not indispensable, but on most = pianos, front bearing particularly produce a more pleasing (fuller) tone.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=264561616-31122003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff = size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=264561616-31122003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff = size=2>Bearing being not discernable after the strings have been = installed, it is often confused with "distance bearing" which indeed is the proof that = some pressure exist when it is seen, but on some pianos the soundboard look = flat after the strings have been tense (while down bearing exist absorbed by = the soundboard) . </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=264561616-31122003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff = size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=264561616-31122003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff = size=2>All depend of the kind of ribbing and construction used (flat ribbing vs. = crowned ribbing). Most German made pianos are using flat ribs and are very = sensitive to humidity changes when the soundboard is in good condition, so the go out = of tune easily in that case. these instruments need less down bearing than the = ones which are using crowned ribbing (Bösendorfer for = instance).</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=264561616-31122003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff = size=2>The flat ribbing method "is said" to produce stiffer soundboard assembly, = while curved ribs need to be pressured more to obtain the necessary stiffness. = That is what I have understood, very crudely  I confess, from the different = conversations on those matters.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=264561616-31122003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff = size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=264561616-31122003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff = size=2>Bonne Année !</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=264561616-31122003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff = size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=264561616-31122003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff = size=2>Isaac</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=264561616-31122003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff = size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT> </DIV> <STYLE>  </STYLE> <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=600 border=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD> <TABLE height=80 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=600 = align=right border=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD class=tiny> <TABLE style="BORDER-RIGHT: #666666 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: = #666666 1px solid; BORDER-LEFT: #666666 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: = #666666 1px solid" height="100%" cellSpacing=0 width=600> <TBODY> <TR bgColor=#ffffff> <TD class=tiny width="100%" height=1> <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" = border=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD class=logotext style="PADDING-LEFT: = 5px"></TD> <TD class=noro style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5px; = FONT-SIZE: 7pt" = align=right>Pianotech</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD> <TD class=tiny></TD></TR> <TR> <TD colSpan=2> <TABLE height="100%" cellSpacing=2 width="100%" = align=right border=0> <TBODY> <TR style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px" height=1> <TD class=noro style="PADDING-LEFT: 4px" vAlign=top><B>Isaac OLEG</B><BR><I>accordeur - = reparateur - concert</I> </TD> <TD class=noro style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px" = vAlign=top align=right>19 rue Jules Ferry<BR>94400 VITRY = sur SEINE </TD></TR> <TR height=1> <TD class=noro style="PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px" vAlign=bottom><A class=psl = href="mailto:oleg-i@noos.fr" target=_blank>oleg-i@noos.fr</A> </TD> <TD class=noro style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px" vAlign=bottom align=right> <TABLE cellSpacing=0 align=right border=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD class=noro noWrap align=right>tel: = <BR>fax: <BR>mobile: </TD> <TD class=noro style="PADDING-LEFT: 4px" = noWrap align=right>033 01 47 18 06 98<BR>33 01 47 = 18 06 90<BR>033 06 60 42 58 77 = </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></T= ABLE></TD> <TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR> <TR> <TD class=tiny colSpan=2> <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"> <TBODY> <TR> <TD align=left><A class=brand = href="http://www.plaxo.com/signature" target=_blank><I>Powered by Plaxo</I></A></TD> <TD align=right><A class=brand = href="http://www.plaxo.com/signature" target=_blank><I>Want a signature like this?</I></A></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR> <TR> <TD align=middle colSpan=2><A class=brand = href="https://www.plaxo.com/add_me?u=12885059450&v0=310641&= k0=119568798" target=_blank><I>Add me to your address book...</I></A></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px = solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT = face=Tahoma size=2>-----Message d'origine-----<BR><B>De :</B> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org]<B>De la = part de</B> Jean-Jacques Granas<BR><B>Envoyé :</B> mercredi 31 = décembre 2003 16:10<BR><B>À :</B> pianotech@ptg.org<BR><B>Objet :</B> No = downbearing ?<BR><BR></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hello y'all and tout le = monde,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I have come across a puzzling = suggestion a few weeks ago: Namely, that downbearing is not really necessary in order = to transfer the vibration of the string to the soundboard panel, the mere = "grip" that the string has on the bridge being sufficient to assure this = transfer. Would anyone of you with experience in such issues care to comment? </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Happy New Year everybody</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Wishing you all wonderful = crowns, tight pins, and fautless repetition, </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Jean-Jacques Granas</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial = size=2></FONT> </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>