Old Chickering Concert Grand

[Newton Hunt]

Tension and inharmonicity in the steel wire sections are predetermined
by speaking length and bridge curve   Only way to change this is to
relocate the bridge or relocate the plate.  In most cases you go with
what's there and try to bring the bottom middle section and the bass
sections into some semblance to the middle and treble.  Smaller pianos
are limited by the hook at the bottom of the treble bridge so often
many wound strings need to be substituted there.  Too much or too
little inharmonicity is far more evident in the bass than other
sections.  I personally prefer to go with the larger cores and smaller
wraps than the other way around.  The rest is common sense, watch your
overall tension sometimes there is nothing that can improve a
particularly poor scale so don't try to make a purse out of a piece of
s(junk).  If the speaking lengths get too long too fast the only
solution is to replace the entire treble bridge but that is often not
practical because of plate / bridge / rib and other restraints.  So
restrain yourself to get the best possible out of what you have.  One
little rule of thumb, the smaller the scale the shorter the unwrapped
ends need to be.  Not always true but sometimes it helps.

The best thing you can do is get the software and experiment.  I have
a strong preference to follow inharmonicity as closely as possible and
let tension go where it will, BUT not to allow it to go wild. Find the
best solution for that one piano.  It takes some time but the help
files of the program can be very informative.

Experiment, that is the way we all learn.

		Newton