string height

David W. Pitsch dpitsch@ix.netcom.com
Sun, 01 Feb 1998 12:49:43 -0700


Concerning new grand pianos made in Eastern Europe with a screw on
D'Capo Bar in the top two treble sections.  I have been taught that the
reason manufacturers use this type of D'Capo is to get away from the
problems associated with a plate casting (too thick or too thin, air
pockets, etc.), and to keep the tolerances as close to blue print as
possible.

Much to my surprise I found the string heights to taper from 21.4cm to
20.8cm at note 88.  This makes for an interesting regulation and
voicing.  Going on and measuring the string heights in the plain wire
agraffe section came out at 21.1cm tapering to 21.4cm!

Anyone else seen this much variance in string height?  The hammer boring
is a consistent 2 1/16" (5.24cm) throughout the plain wire sections.
These pianos are described as "hand built"!  Contacting the
manufacturer's technical representative about this problem, the answer
was rather evasive.



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