[CAUT] string height

[Delwin D Fandrich]

Over the years many folks have tried to convince us that this was intentional.
The V-bar was somehow "crowned" to match the crown of the soundboard and bridge.
And then I started designing plates and having them cast. It ain't so.
 
Plates warp as they cool and for a variety of reasons they mostly bow up across
the span of the pinblock flange. Along with this warp goes the V-bar. 
 
In an effort to control this and make the elevation of the hammer strike along
the string plane more consistent some manufacturers are now casting the V-bar
substantially oversize and milling it to shape and height (using a CNC milling
machine) while it is being drilled and while other machining is being done. Some
are also milling the bottom side of the tuning pin panel flat and are milling
the pinblock flange to shape as well. 
 
Del
Delwin D Fandrich
Piano Design & Manufacturing Consultant
620 South Tower Avenue
Centralia, Washington 98531  USA
Phone  360.736-7563
<mailto:fandrich at pianobuilders.com> 


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From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of
reggaepass at aol.com
Sent: June 07, 2007 9:59 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org; caut at ptg.org
Subject: [CAUT] string height


Hi Lists,

We recently measured string heights on a Steinway B and  Yamaha G2.  An astute
assistant noticed that on both pianos the highest note (pitch-wise) in the tenor
was higher than the lowest note in the tenor (more than can be explained by the
gradual decrease in wire diameters, were the agraffes all level) and that the
lowest note in the capo (pitch-wise) was higher than the highest note (C8).  Is
it just a coincidence that we happen to measure two very different pianos with
this same set-up, or is there an overarching design reason for this (making it a
goal by design shared by many manufacturers)?

Thanks,

Alan Eder 
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