Bridge agraffes

[Clark]

> 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.

Mebbe, also less cross grain stuff to eat distortions and no justifiable
gains for the added cost in the highest register? Then, there are more
holes to be drilled, and notches to be carved.

> 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.

Can break ribs in an extreme case, never thought to examine the
condition of the agraffes.

> 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.

My impression was more higher partials - not measured - guessed less
damping, more reflecting. Loud, too.
 
> 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.

Like 20 bass strings. I think Dolge's account is they were early to go
corporate, by 1920 were building awful crap in comparison to what they
had done. Most of their older instruments at least are interesting. Hoy!
and we have a piano makers clamp from the factory.

> 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.

Worse has been implemented, precut wire lengths should stay put a little
better once all threaded.

> What do you mean by consistency?

Starting all those screws exactly the same, though maple tolerates
cinching a little better than cast iron and height's a little less
critical. I guess not so bad.


Del wrote:

> Don't suppose you have a couple of patent numbers handy?

ccl/84/213 - Bridges(209), with string holders: means on the bridge for
clamping or holding the strings in place. Only 44 to check.

316445 looks like H&D's, 396740 like Guild's, 438393 like Sohmer's. One
of Bollerman's is like yours: 493748.


Clark