1866 Steinway/Rebuild or Restore?

[Bdshull@AOL.COM]

Hi, List:

Forgive me, I can't help but tie these two threads together.   In responding 
to Greg Anderson's questions about the rebuilding of his 1866 Style 4 
Steinway I mentioned (to Greg's consternation, I think....) that his piano 
might have to be rescaled to be tuned to A-440.  The question is:

Many early Steinways were scaled to be tuned to a very high pitch.  There is 
plenty of documentary evidence for this, but Clark pointed us to Ed Swensen's 
website, to an excellent article on the history of pitch:

http://www.mozartpiano.com/pitch.html

If you have one of these early pianos in your shop to rebuild or restore, and 
it is in generally original condition (cabinet not modified, etc.) and 
therefore a true candidate for restoration, AND your measurements of the 
stringing scale indicate a very high standard pitch so that you will have to 
tune this piano to A-457 for it to sound decent (about 1/4 step sharp of 
A-440), what would you recommend?

In order to properly rebuild this piano for modern use you may have to 
rescale this piano, which very probably would include moving at least the top 
half of the treble bridge to accomodate A-440.  For example, my Style 2 
(1878) note 85 speaking length is 1 7/8".  Typically note 88 should be at 
least 2", as in all the modern Steinways ( although I have not examined the 
scale on the very early continuous rim "A" scale designed in 1878, but would 
love to see if it was first scaled to the high pitch).

Have I framed the question right?  What would you do, rescale and move 
bridges, or keep everything original?  Rebuild or restore?

Bill Shull, RPT






In a message dated 10/30/00 10:38:25 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
caccola@net1plus.com writes:

<< Hi again,
 
 So I heard about this last night, and here from another of Dr. Swenson's
 pages:
 
 > 1879, A=457.2, New York. From a tuning fork used by Steinway & Sons!
 
    <http://www.mozartpiano.com/pitch.html>
 
 
 Clark
  >>