Finger Prints on Little Baldwin Grand

[Delwin D Fandrich]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Farrell" <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: June 06, 2001 5:01 PM
Subject: Finger Prints on Little Baldwin Grand




> It was really cool to
> see so many of the features Del talks about in his small piano design
> classes. Below are a number of the features I noted:
>
> - ribs not set into notches in rim (ribs do not extend to the rim)

There is no need for them to be set into the rim. The soundboard panel is
laminated and not likely to crack.


> - ribs set in radial pattern
> - 3-ply laminated soundboard (spruce?)

It was supposed to be all spruce--including the core.


> - raised hitch pins (not accu-hitch)

They are not supposed to be adjustable. I wanted the acoustical benefits of
the vertical hitch pin but not the time-consuming process of individually
adjusting for bearing. As I conceived the assembly process the hitches were
to be pre-set at the foundry and the plate set to the bridges. No adjustment
should have been necessary. But it is my understanding that the factory did
take some considerably liberties with this. Shouldn't have been rocket
science, but I never did see even one piano with the hitches set where they
were supposed to be.


> - no plate bushings for tuning pins- stringing felt only on bass strings

There should have been plate bushings.


> - inner and outer rim held together (at least in part) with about a
zillion
> screws (what's this all about?)

It should not have been necessary for there to be any screws at all. I was
no longer with the company when the piano actually went into production so
I've no idea how the outer rim was actually assembled to the inner rim. It
was supposed to be in a press and should have been a size-on-size fit.
Assuming the rims were pressed correctly.


> - bass bridge has no apron (attached directly to soundboard
> - bass bridge has cut-away base for first 9 strings (not attached to
> soundboard)

The cut-away serves the same function as the apron without placing any
rotational stress on the bridge and without adding the mass of the apron.


> - bass bridge curve reversed from common direction

Yes. The bass bridge curve was laid out logarithmically and In the correct
direction.


> - no framing under piano belly

The belly braces were taken out by the piano's other 'designers' (i.e., the
company's 'top management' at the time) as being too expensive. That
happened was way before even the prototypes saw the light of day, while the
whole thing existed only in my head and on mylar.


> It was really interesting to examine. Didn't sound too bad for a little
> weeny piano. Would I be insulting anyone if I said that it sounded A LOT
> better than a Kimball LaPetite (the goofy music desk reminded my of the
> Kimball - really, that's all!).

Don't blame me for the Mickey Mouse cabinetry. I had originally designed a
rather nice sliding music desk & shelf for the piano. It also was cancelled
as being too expensive. I understand that later it was put back.


> Anyway, I had fun with it trying to find all
> of Del's finger prints.

Glad you had so much fun. Anything we can do to provide a bit of
entertainment...

Regards,

Del