Steinway Style 2 data (was Short Scale/Decal for 1866 Steinway)

[Bdshull@AOL.COM]

Hi, Ric:

<< 
 I am not sure what the numbers mean.  do you have tension in pounds and
 string length in millimeters?  So it looks like 97 lbs for note #85.   That
 seems off by 60 lbs since most top notes are around 150 lbs, 170 at the
 most.  --ric
  >>

That's right (the legend is at the bottom of the page). 

I am absorbing Juan Mas Cabre's article in the PTG 7/2000, pp. 56-65.   I 
confess I had not read this article until tonight, but Clark Caccola refers 
to it in his earlier post.  This author states that the wire used for pianos 
in the middle through later part of the 19th century has much different 
properties than modern hardened steel wire.  The wire has lower breaking 
strength, is more elastic and has a lower inharmonicity with more fundamental 
to the sound.   He also points out that if the pianos were originally tuned 
higher, than the wire size in the upper notes should be smaller when tuned at 
A440.  (p. 63) He recommends his "Pure Sound" wire for pianos from the middle 
19th century because it is more similar to the wire of the period.  

His article includes formulas to calculate string tension based on the type 
of piano wire, using "a simplified form derived from the Taylor formula:"  He 
multiplies these four factors:  the square of the frequency in Hertz, the 
speaking length in meters and the diameter in meters, and 24662 (for modern 
wire, or 24819 for his Pure Sound wire, or 24407 for Malcolm Rose wire).  He 
recommends using these formulas to establish the type of wire used on any 
given period piano.  (p. 62)  I guess I have some work to do.

Bill Shull