RE RE RE inner/outer rim se

[Kenneth Sloane]

                      Subject:                              Time:  4:10 PM
  OFFICE MEMO         RE RE RE inner/outer rim separation   Date:  11/8/95

-----------------------ORIGINAL POSTS------------------------
>From Ken Sloane-------
>>... Unlike Steinway, who molds the inner rim with the outer at the same time
in one huge press, most manufacturers (and probably Samick) construct an
inner
rim separate from the outer rim. In the production process, the inner is fit
with the belly of the piano -- board and bridges, pin block, and plate --
bearing is set, and then the piano is strung and brought up to pitch. The
outer
rim is attached later . . .<<

>From Don Mannino--------
>>I haven't been to Samick's factory, but most manufacturers do NOT string the
piano before the outer rim is glued up. The board is glued to the inner rim,
the
plate and pinblock are fit, the nosebolts are set, the bridges are cut,
notched
and pinned, then the plate is sent off for finishing. The outer rim is glued
up
and clamped to the inner rim, then is trimmed and finished. The piano is then
strung with the rim all assembled, hopefully as one piece.

The only manufacturer I have seen who strings the piano prior to attaching the
outer rim is Kimball.....................<<

------------------------MY REPLY------------------------

I was sure that lots of other manufacturers string (or at least did string)
their grands with the outer rim not yet attached. Don Mannino, however, put
the seed of doubt into my mind; so I called Paul Monachino, guru
extraordanaire from the old Aeolian American Piano Company. Paul assured me
that all their grands were strung with the belly secured only to the inner rim
and that this practice was common to the famous piano names like Knabe and
Chickering before Aeolian Ameriocan acquired them. He also mentioned that the
Mason and Hamlin construction procedure -- with the tension resonator --
mandateded stringing before the outer rim was installed and that even some
case work like cheek block and fallboard installation was done before the
outer rim was glued on. Maybe pianos that use a softer rim material (most
Asian pianos?????) cannot do this. Anybody else have some opinions?

Ken Sloane, Oberlin Conservatory