Short scale (was re: Decal for 1866 Steinway...)

[Clark]

Hi, Bill,

> One of the things I am learning about these early Steinways is that 
> at least some were scaled to a very high pitch, possibly as high as 
> A-457.  My Style 2 85 note scale is wacko at A-440 in PScale.  Note 
> 85 is 1 7/8".

Well, my somewhat smaller and earlier 85-note H,D&c. grand has but 44mm
for C7, if yours also is C-C, which should be entered as note 88. Dr.
Swenson's analysis of wire composition shows a ca.560 N difference in
tensile strength between samples from a ca.1850 Chickering and modern
Röslau wire <http://www.mozartpiano.com/wiretest.html>. Yours fits
nicely in the timeframe recommended for Juan Más Cabré's Puresound wire
described in "The Industrial Revolution and Piano Wire", PTJ, v.43 no.7,
and at <http://www.puresound-wire.com/>. Its average breaking strength
is ca.1900 N, approximate or maybe a little higher than the Chickering
samples, and about 300 N below Röslau's; Mapes International Gold's
tensile strength apparently is even higher than R's, and I don't know
what Pscale uses for data.

Also check out Paul Poletti's "Scale Analysis" for a closer explanation
to why scales might appear strange in some scaling programs.
<http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/PaulPoletti/Scale.pdf>

Regards,


Clark