Bridge agraffes

[Phillip L Ford]

Clark,
I've seen both of these systems, although not for some time.  I had forgotten
about the pinning in the top end.  I wonder if this has something to do with
the added weight (mass) of these terminations not being desirable for the
high frequency strings.
---

On Thu, 08 Nov 2001 11:26:45  
 Clark wrote:
>Phillip Ford wrote:
>
>> I would think that the device in question would have some advantages 
>> over a conventional bridge string termination. Were there some 
>> reasons that it wasn't adopted?
>
>Sohmer and Hallet & Davis did adopt these around 1890. I think both
>manufacturers sometimes pinned their high trebles, slotted agraffes in
>bass.
>
>Sohmer's system is 2/3 like to bridge pressure bars, which I've seen in
>Guild, and Schubert uprights, and H&D squares: strings pass under the
>agraffe and then over a wooden counterbearing.
>
>H&D rather drilled holes to angles, and alternated their orientation,
>with no second bearing.
>
>Cost, consistency, and in Sohmer's case I think poor aging all would
>count against the technology, though my impression - and especially on
>fixed up Sohmers, is that they sound a lot different than pins.
>
>Clark


As I remember the Sohmer had a pretty severe counterbearing angle
coming out of the back side of the bridge agraffe.  This must put quite a
lot of rolling moment (twisting if you like) on the bridge which might explain
why they don't age well.  Also, if I remember correctly there were no pins
on the wooden counterbearing and the strings just rested on it.  I would
think this might cause some interesting noises which also might be one
reason that they sound different.

I also saw one of these Hallet Davis pianos with bridge agraffes as you
describe.  It seemed an interesting idea.  The one that I saw, in spite of
being @ 100 years old and in original condition had a nice sound.  I wonder
why this idea was dropped.  Cost perhaps.  I suppose agraffes are a bit more
expensive than pins, but perhaps the real cost is in stringing labor since all
the wire has to be run through the agraffes.  On an expensive piano, though,
I would think this cost would be lost in the noise.  What do you mean by
consistency?

Phil

Phillip Ford
Piano Service & Restoration
1777 Yosemite Ave - 215
San Francisco, CA  94124




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