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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Terry asked: "<FONT face="Times New =
Roman"
size=3>So now we have a piano topic, and it's going to go the way of =
private
=<BR>telephone? Joe, you are such a tease! You get us all worked up =
over
=<BR>square damper felt but then you don't go all the way with it. So =
please,
=<BR>tell us all your theory about why flat felt might be preferred =
over
=<BR>wedges in various areas of the square grand string
scale."<BR><BR>Terry,</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" =
size=3>OK, since you
asked! Square Grands, (and I'm NOT talking about Square Pianos, [usually =
pre-1860 would qualify that}]), were made in the same factories, right =
side/side
with "Modern" Upright and "Modern" Grands. By the 1870's most =
manufacturers had
figured out what it took to get Dampers to shut down, sufficiently.
Consequently, They KNEW how to make a piano "Damp" "Properly", (that is
ascontroversial as methods of voicing, IMHO.). Then why did they make =
the Square
Grand with it's lack of ability to dampen and repeat sufficiently, up to =
the
standards of the day?!!! The best way I can explain this is with two
phrases:  =
; </FONT=
></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" =
size=3> 1.
Supply/Demand</FONT><BR>2. A fictional story. (#1 prompts the
story<G></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The Story:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Imagine you are a fairly young man, in =
1880. You
have established yourself in the Victorian Business World, as a success. =
One
day, you decide to buy a piano. (which is a status symbol of the time! =
Besides
which, your wife has been bugging you, from day one of your
marriage!)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>You toddle on down to THE PIANO/MUSIC =
STORE. Enter.
Immediately, you are greeted by the Salesman! (some things never
change!<G>) The salesman says: "May I help you?" You reply: " Yes, =
I would
like to buy a piano." Now the Salesman becomes very animated and steers =
you
towards a nice S & S "A". You sit down and begin to play. After a =
few
minutes, you stop and say: "No this is not quite what I had in mind." =
The
Salesman gets a little less animated and steers you over to a nice S =
& S
K-52. You sit down and begin to play again. After a few more minutes, =
you stop
and say, again: " No, this is not quite what I had in mind, either. I =
want a
piano that sounds more like what I learned on. I learned on my Grand =
Mother's
beautiful grand. It sounded sooo full!" The salesman becomes more =
animated and
gets a knowing look in his eye. This time, he steers you to the back of =
the
store, where the Square Grands are. You sit down and start to play. =
Immediately,
you stop and say: "This is exactly what I want. I'll take =
it!"</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Now, the question is why? =
"Grandmother's Beautiful
Grand" was built in the early 1800's. At that time, the
knowlege/technology/materials had not been refined to the state of the =
"Modern
Grands/Uprights". It did not dampen very well. The touch was much =
different than
the "modern pianos". This overall difference dictated the manufacturing =
of the
Square Grand AND the OverDamper Uprights, ("Bird-Cages") It was a =
"SOUND"
issue!!!! Now you know part of the reason(s). There are other aspects, =
that
enter into it, but this is wayyyyy looonnnng =
enough!<G></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Best Regards,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> </DIV></FONT>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Joe Garrett, R.P.T.<BR>Captain, Tool
Police<BR>Squares R I</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>