<!doctype html public "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <html><head><style type="text/css"></style><title>Re: First on-line images of the Overs-Kawai 200 grand pian</title></head><body> <div>Quentin,</div> <div><br></div> <blockquote type="cite" cite><font face="Arial" size="-1">I have a question about the bridge you made for the Overs Kawai:</font></blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite><font face="Arial" size="-1">the original bridge had graphite on its top, so why did you choose not to graphite it?</font></blockquote> <div><br></div> <div>We don't use graphite or any other special coating because it is unlikely to be of any benefit. When the sound board panel is coated the bridges also are coated all over with the same material. After all, we set the string offset at 10 degrees with a bridge pin inclination of 20 degrees, so the that string is firmly clamped to the bridge. The slip coating doesn't really help the rendering to raise the back scale length to that of the speaking length. When a piano is first strung we lightly rub it down on the speaking length before each chip and tuning to get the back scale up to speaking length tension, take the forward pull off the bridges, and to quickly settle the piano into tuning stability. Typically, they get three chip ups and three or four tunings, with a rub down before each, before they leave the workshop.</div> <div><br></div> <div>Furthermore, I suspect that the black coating might allow a greater likelihood of thermal bridge cap damage for concert instruments. The intense stage lighting might indeed allow a black topped bridge to be overheated to the point of cap damage. So, since 2001, all of our bridgework has been done without slip coating the bridge.</div> <div><br></div> <div>I also agree with Terry Farrell's comment. When you have a beautifully quarter cut face on a bridge cap, why on earth would you want to cover it up if it doesn't have any other worthwhile benefit. Terry's nice bridges clearly demonstrate this.</div> <div><br></div> <div>Ron O.</div> <x-sigsep><pre>-- </pre></x-sigsep> <div><font face="Times New Roman" size="+1" color="#0000FF"><b>OVERS PIANOS - SYDNEY</b></font></div> <div><font color="#000000"><i>   </i></font><font color="#0000FF"><i>Grand Piano Manufacturers</i></font><font color="#000000"><br> _______________________</font></div> <div><font size="-2" color="#000000"><br> </font><font color="#000000">Web http://overspianos.com.au</font></div> <div><font color="#000000">mailto:ron@overspianos.com.au<br> _______________________</font></div> </body> </html>