Wapin Bridge

[Clark]

Bill, et al.

I think the Wapin bridge termination is intriguing. I just checked out the FFTs
and their adjustments, and the frequencies were as I expected they would be;
what I would be more interested in would be comparisons against the Sohmer and
Hallet & Davis configurations (these are agraffed bridges). Likewise, a
comparison with, say a Guild & Church, pressure bar bridge would be informative.

Another question is how this device relates to harpsichord bridges. My virginal
(styled after Ruckers, modified but not as concerns bridge pinning) has vertical
front pins, in this case back-pinned throughout the compass; additionally, the
bridge is not flat, rather the apex of the angle occurs behind the front pin -
in essence comparable to the center pin in the three-pin Wapin format. The front
bearing is wholly provided by the front pin, where the string does not bear upon
wood at all.

Now Richard Brekne's postings about the other end of the string at the capo bar
provide more than adequate background for visualizing the function of the Wapin
bridge. Is it found that its more hinged arrangement lowers inharmonicity
compared with traditional clamped types?

These tests would be interesting to make, but I'm not really willing to pay a
licensing fee to do them myself; it might be illuminating to do them outside of
pianos, in more controlled situations.

Looking forward to further information,

Clark