bass string differences And E.T.C.

[Erwinpiano]

Hi David

   I wanted to respond to your tone question but find it so subjective to
address in print I'm not sure how.  I believe that making bass strings is
science and art and I believe much of the art has been lost.  When the good
ole boys used to wrap string day after day in the factory there products
were heard quite immediately and knew what they were producing and what
changes they were striving for on there particular tone producing setup.The
perfect A -B comparison test.  Even our best string winders(makers) don't
get that opportunity as frequently as they'd like.  But In fairness were
expecting them to make strings for everything under the sun so our
expectations may be to high in some cases.

    But I do think that the larger issue is material even for plain wire,
and I believe that until wire makers are willing(which they're not ) to
duplicate the iron formulas and produce wire similar to turn of the century
that we will still have the experience of removing old wire ,plain and bass,
that still sounded quite good or even amazing for its age, and still wonder
why the new wire doesn't sound as good.

    As to sound I prefer a sound from bass strings that has a darker
component to it as well as the usual balanced over tones, kind of like
voicing for tonal  balance. The tone that an aged set of stwy bass strings
exhibits. I'm sure that's a description sound most will understand.
     I once replaced an original Baldwin 9 ft, set that was sounding a
little tired on the low end but the new strings didn't compare with the
sound of the old bi- chords, wow was I disappointed.
 I have used mapes strings and G.C. strings that have had that quality on
certain pianos and on others not as successful.  There's alot to it. It's
not all string,scale or voicing but as usual board impedances etc.
   For now I find the G.C. strings fit my tonal concept for the pianos I
rebuild most frequently(Stwys& Masons)  I will probably try the Sanderson
string soon though I'm still aghast at the price.

    Dale Erwin





----- Original Message -----
From: "David Love" <davidlovepianos@hotmail.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, June 24, 2001 9:53 PM
Subject: Re: bass string differences


>
> Which brings us back to the original question.  Quality of manufacturing
> aside (they all seem to make a mistake now and then) how would you compare
> the different makers, scaling philosophy and resultant tonal
> characteristics.  For example, I used Mapes strings for many years but
have
> recently begun to use Sandersons's strings as I have started to consider
> rescaling.  I have also heard many sets of GC strings.  Each seems to have
> its own characteristic sound.  I don't know if I can exactly pinpoint what
> those differences are, thus my question.  But some seem to have a stronger
> fundamental, others richer in overtones, some more pure in the low
> monochords, etc..  I seem to have been searching for the ideal bass string
> for some time and have not yet found it.  Again, assuming equal attention
to
> manufacturing (perhaps a big assumption) I am curious how people compare
at
> least the three in question for me:  Mapes, Sanderson, GC, (and Isaac
> too--though I have not used them)?
>
> David Love
>
> >From: "Erwinpiano" <Erwinpiano@email.msn.com>
> >Reply-To: pianotech@ptg.org
> >To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> >Subject: Re: bass string differences
> >Date: Sun, 24 Jun 2001 19:59:01 -0700
> >
> >   Newton
> >
> >I have a different perspective than yours.  I really take issue with the
> >lack of falseness issue.  Having used many sets (dozens)of his strings
> >before finally giving up in frustration I can say honestly that I was
> >astonished at how many sets had false beats and also false beats develop
> >over time.  I'm still changing out sets of strings when possible that
have
> >untunable unisons.
> >     Also I experienced some very funky scaling in a stwy B, as in so
much
> >tension that the tone is choked. I'm still waiting for an opportunity to
> >change those.
> >
> >    Any string maker can have the occasional false or ooops made string
but
> >I
> >found it wearisome, tedious and expensive to replace a string or strings
in
> >a rebuild after it has gone home causing repeated trips to the clients
home
> >at to pull up the new string and try to explain why the so called custom
> >made expensive strings are having this kind of a problem.
> >    Maybe things have changed but I won't pay to find out cause I still
am.
> >   I 'm a guy who's long on patience but I also have a long memory of
this
> >fiasco.
> >     Dale Erwin
> >
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "Newton Hunt" <newtonhunt@netzero.net>
> >To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> >Sent: Sunday, June 24, 2001 4:07 PM
> >Subject: Re: bass string differences
> >
> >
> > > For several days now I have watched Ari Isaac make bass strings.
> > >
> > > When a request for a set comes in he evaluates it on the computer and
> > > makes some changes to bring up the power and other factors.
> > >
> > > The strings are swaged, hydraulically, by his assistant, Marie, then
Ari
> > > putts the string on the lathe and winds that string with the
appropriate
> > > copper.  There are a number of interesting techniques that he wishes
not
> > > to have disclosed, but I think the end result is a superior string
with
> > > far less falseness and far fewer "mistakes" in scaling than many will
> > > provide.
> > >
> > > He has enough experience to know when a string is wrong, wrong core,
> > > wrong wrap  for a particular length.  I have watched him carefully
test
> > > a string while it is still on the lathe and throw it out when he is
not
> > > satisfied with the sound of that string.
> > >
> > > The whole process is extremely interesting.  It is time consuming and
> > > may involve as much as four hours start to finish.  That is to the
> > > customer's advantage.
> > >
> > > Try them, I think you will like much of what he does.
> > >
> > > I use them.
> > >
> > > Newton (from Toronto)
> > >
> > >
> > > NetZero Platinum
> > > No Banner Ads and Unlimited Access
> > > Sign Up Today - Only $9.95 per month!
> > > http://www.netzero.net
> >
>
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