[CAUT] left to right or R to L?

[Ed Sutton]

Ah, yes. A very experienced piano mover once told me that the best rebuilders tune the soundboard to F#. 
Ed S.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Fred Sturm 
  To: caut University Technicians 
  Sent: Wednesday, November 12, 2008 5:16 PM
  Subject: Re: [CAUT] left to right or R to L?


  On Nov 12, 2008, at 12:05 PM, Ed Sutton wrote:


    Can someone please explain why this "stresses the soundboard properly."
    If I am improperly stressing soundboards, I would like to correct my ways.
    Thank you.
    Ed Sutton


      The stringing recommendation from Steinway (given decades ago in an undated "Parts Price List") is quoted below:

      In stringing Steinway Grands [sic], it is best to start at the top of the center section and work upwards thru the lower treble section and upper treble section to note #88.  Then start at the bottom of the center section and work up to the top, then start at note #1 and work up to the top of the bass section.  This stresses the soundboard properly to afford good working clearances in all cases.
  I heard a similar thing some 30 years ago that purported to come from Steinway. I was told one should bring the strings to tension in something like this order, or the "soundboard tone" might be killed. There was a story of how this happened once (someone brought strings to tension in the wrong order and the piano "was dead"), and the "consulting tech" lowered all the tension and then re-tensioned in the correct order, and the piano "came back to life." 
  The person who told me this tale said he didn't really believe it. I don't either. I take it as yet one more fable among the many out there. I think Ron N. has it right: a practical matter of getting the soundboard low enough if it happens that bridges are too close to plate struts. And I have to say that I wonder about whether that scenario (bridge pins touching or nearly touching struts) would occur unless somebody had made a mistake that maybe ought to be corrected before putting strings on. But, hey, I'm just a bystander offering advice <G>.


  Regards,
  Fred Sturm
  University of New Mexico
  fssturm at unm.edu



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