[CAUT] String Scale for a Steinway O Curved bass bridge

[David Love]

Not so much a matter of improvement (though there may be room for that),
it's more a matter of consistency.  One problem is that Steinway will not
share with you the "design specs". In other words, they won't give you the
speaking lengths by design, at least they wouldn't when I asked them not too
long ago.  So you end up assuming that the gauges given conform to the
design specs and that those design specs from 1910 are the same as the
current model.  I've seen model Os with note 88 at 46 mms and also at 52
mms.  While the tension differences for a change of 6 mms are much more
pronounced in the high treble than the low tenor, it does give you some
indication of the variability.  Too many unknowns there for me.  If you are
unable to make an analysis of the scale yourself or can't hire someone then
you just have to go on faith.  It might work out fine, but it would be
better to know for sure and at least eliminate one factor in the final
voicing.  When you run the scales from existing pianos you do see some
strange things in terms of tension, break point, impedance and inharmonicity
curves.  Enough to make one wonder just what the intent actually was.  

David Love
davidlovepianos at comcast.net 
www.davidlovepianos.com

-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of David
Skolnik
Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2008 5:49 PM
To: College and University Technicians
Subject: Re: [CAUT] String Scale for a Steinway O Curved bass bridge

David -
Assuming that the piano was not significantly rescaled or that there 
were no egregious errors in original manufacture, how much of a 
variation would you expect to find?  Is it your belief that the scale 
that Steinway is presently using for the current Model O could be 
improved upon - apart from any other issues about construction 
process?  In other words, if  Michael measured the speaking lengths 
and they conformed reasonably to design specs. would one of the 
quoted scales be better, in your view?

David Skolnik
Hastings on Hudson, NY


At 07:34 PM 6/26/2008, you wrote:
>Without a comparison of speaking lengths, the gauges don't mean that much.
>And since Steinway speaking lengths between pianos of the same model and
>vintage, much less same model, different vintage, tend to vary, the scales
>given can only provide an outline.  A more thorough analysis of the scale
on
>this particular piano is really in order in this case.
>
>David Love
>davidlovepianos at comcast.net
>www.davidlovepianos.com
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of David
>Skolnik
>Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2008 1:41 PM
>To: College and University Technicians
>Subject: Re: [CAUT] String Scale for a Steinway O Curved bass bridge
>
>Michael, Scott -
>I happened to see this post and thought, why not ask Steinway, so I did.
>
>David Kirkwood read me the current 0/L scale, which is slightly
>different than both posted, neither of which can be correct, as they
>only add up to 56 unisons, having left out 16 1/2.  The current scale
>is the same as the "no serial number" except it has six unisons of 16
>1/2.  He said that there were a fe early O's that employed two wound
>unisons on the tenor bridge.  That's what he says.  good luck
>
>David Skolnik
>Hastings on Hudson, NY
>
>At 04:02 PM 6/26/2008, you wrote:
> >I've got an here that I'm also restring, but the stinging was not
original,
> >and highly suspect, so I'll likely go with Travis. He lists two different
> >Os:
> >
> >No serial number:
> >13      .031 6  unisons
> >13 1/2  .032 4  unisons
> >14      .033 4  unisons
> >14 1/2  .034 5  unisons
> >15      .035 6  unisons
> >15 1/2  .036 6  unisons
> >16      .037 5  unisons
> >17      .039 12 unisons
> >18      .041 8  unisons
> >
> >Serial number 276638:
> >13      .031 6  unisons
> >13 1/2  .032 4  unisons
> >14      .033 3  unisons
> >14 1/2  .034 8  unisons
> >15      .035 6  unisons
> >15 1/2  .036 5  unisons
> >16      .037 6  unisons
> >17      .039 12 unisons
> >18      .041 8  unison
> >
> >I didn't realize there were two different O scales? Looks like maybe you
>can
> >figure it out based on where the breaks are? Mine lays out well with the
> >second (276638) scale, and not with the former. Mine is serial number
>207116
> >is that helps any.
> >
> >All the best, Scott
> >
> >Scott E. Thile
> >Piano/Instrument Technician
> >---------------------------
> >Dept. of Music, Murray State University
> >504 Fine Arts Building, Murray, KY 42071
> >Office Phone: 270-809-4396
> >http://campus.murraystate.edu/staff/scott.thile/index.html
> >
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On
> > > Behalf Of Michael Wathen
> > > Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2008 2:30 PM
> > > To: College and University Technicians
> > > Subject: [CAUT] String Scale for a Steinway O Curved bass bridge
> > >
> > >
> > > I am restring a Steinway O.  The strings were made by
> > > Arledge.  Does anyone
> > > have a string scale for the treble wire? The bass bridge is curved.
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> >
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