dented piano wireOFF LIST

[Paul Chick]

Ron
I've tried this techinque on a couple of my grands. The first time I saw it
was on an1898 Chickering. The vertical cut of the notch was just behind the
center of the bridge pin and only a milimeter deep- imperceptable until the
bridge caps were cleaned. Inspite of the old stringa and dirt in the
notches, the piano had a remarkably clear sound (taking in the other factors
that contribute to this). With that experience, I tried it on the next
restringing that did not require new bridge caps (my pianos). Again better
termination-cleaner sound. My grands were sold and have been performing well
for several years.  I've since tried it on other makes that have been in for
restringing etc. and all the clients are very pleased. When I go to service
these pianos, some string setting is necessary before tuning and that
clarity is restored.
Paul Chick
-----Original Message-----
From: Ron Nossaman <nossaman@SOUTHWIND.NET>
To: pianotech@ptg.org <pianotech@ptg.org>
Date: Monday, August 09, 1999 9:03 PM
Subject: Re: dented piano wireOFF LIST


>At 05:11 PM 8/9/99 -0600, you wrote:
>>At 06:04 PM 8/8/99 -0700, you wrote:
>>
>>>Many of you have noticed when destringing a piano that the indentation of
>>>the string marks on the bridge surface is deeper near the bridge pins
than
>>>at the middle of the bridge. You have also noticed that the indentation
>>>usually extends out beyond the tangency with the bridge pins.
>>
>>
>>OFFLIST PRIVATE DUMMY QUESTION:
>>Whoa. Brain bubble, Dr. Jim....
>> I remember seeing something about why we don't cap with a slight convex,
>>years ago. But... why not a very slight concave? Linear, of course, perp
to
>>the wire, and probably... oh.... on an arc of less than 10 degrees
relative
>>to the width of the top of the bridge. 'Course, that would get wierd where
>>the bridge pin distance varies, like around the tenor/treble breaks,
>>but.... wouldn't it help? Especially on the more stable, (like vertically
>>laminated) bridge caps?
>>
>>Who knows? I don't. Just a thought.
>>
>>SeeYa,
>>Guy
>>
>
>
>It might help, but it seems to me that the edge would be somewhat more
>delicate and more quickly crushed in service. So why don't we leave the
>bridge top flat and notch down perpendicular to the top a millimeter or so
>before scooping out the notch so the bridge top string termination point
>stays at the pin even as the grooves deepen at the edges? I've seen bridges
>done this way. Why wouldn't this help, especially with the much more stable
>*horizontally* laminated bridge caps?  %-)
>
>I'm glad your gear slipped, Guy, I think it's a good point for discussion.
>
> Ron N
>