Downbearing Question

[Farrell]

I am rebuilding a large square grand, Woodward & Brown, 1882. I am trying to
decide whether to recommend reconditioning of bridges and soundboard or
recap and or replace. After removing strings, the treble bridge has a
mixture of positive (up to 0.040") downbearing and negative (up to 0.050")
downbearing (bass bridge has positive downbearing). Not good, obviously.
BUT, because of the largely unsupported nature of one whole long edge of the
soundboard in this type of piano, are you really going to get much
different? I had mostly positive downbearing when up to tension - I can only
assume the strings were holding the soundboard and bridges up.

So, the question: Do you simply recondition the bridges (repair, plane
smooth, renotch, repin w/ epoxy) and let the new strings hold the soundboard
up because of the type of piano it is and its expected mediocre performance
potential, or do you recommend recapping (or more) - thoretically to achieve
proper downbearing - I suspect that the soundboard and bridges will simply
bend down when you bring the new strings up to tension - the more
downbearing you give it (no matter how little), the more the soundboard will
bend. What to do?

I suppose I could attempt to lower the plate a bit - I big, big job on this
type of instrument because of the integral pinblock (I have no intension to
replace pinblock). I could lower the fight half a bit if I really have to. I
also could prop upward the one lone support for the long largely unsupported
edge of the soundboard. I could easily push the sounboard up a quarter inch
if I wanted at this support. That would likely get some downbearing on the
worst part of the treble bridge.

All thoughts appreciated.

Terry Farrell
Piano Tuning & Service
Tampa, Florida
mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com