Sohmer

Erwinspiano@AOL.COM Erwinspiano@AOL.COM
Thu, 21 Mar 2002 20:12:50 EST


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In a message dated 3/20/2002 11:12:38 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
hufford1@airmail.net writes:


> Subj:Re: Sohmer 
> Date:3/20/2002 11:12:38 PM Pacific Standard Time
> From:<A HREF="mailto:hufford1@airmail.net">hufford1@airmail.net</A>
> Reply-to:<A HREF="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A>
> To:<A HREF="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A>
> Sent from the Internet 
> 
> 
> 
> Dale,
>      I have a Sohmer 9B in the shop.  It has conventional crown which is
> about 1/8 in the middle.  This is after restringing and being within 1/2
> step of pitch.   I think these are great pianos and I like their bridge
> agraffe system.  This particular Sohmer had a very pronounced long crack
> running about an inch and a half or so in front of the bridge.  This
> crack, which I have seen on several other Sohmers in virtually the same
> configuration, is obvious stress relief from the forces produced by the
> bridge operating and pulling on the board, that is, relief of shearing
> stresses.  
>   >.....Are you saying that the strings are pulling up on the board???????
>             If so that would explain it. And how bizarre.

 >>>>>>>>      Hi Robin---It's interesting that the only one I've ever worked 
has reverse crown and I do belive it intentional. but the downbearing force 
was pushing towards the floor in the usual way. The bass bridge was the usual 
arrangement of pins.
  The other interesting note is that the piano was selected from a showroom 
where they had a wide selection of pianos and this one had more of what they 
wanted and people in the know frequently commented on what an wonderful and 
unusual sound this piano had. Really it's wonderful. When I first sat down to 
play it I was in immediate love. Being a sustain freak this piano was like 
holding notes down on an organ. By the way ,I'm not prone to exaggeration, 
just know a good ax when I hear it.

>       In the one in the shop the ribs were dowelled to the board in this
> area and the crack was filled with epoxy.  This crack is about the only
> characteristic failure of  the c. 6 feet Sohmers with the agraffe system
> I have seen, although, as I have seen perhaps, only 8 or 9 over the
> years, this may be a generalization on shaky grounds. The factory,
> apparently, was aware of this as they have attached on the botton side
> of the board, under the bridge, a long reinforcing strip of maple, let
> in and passing through the ribs. The crack occurs in front of this
> strip.

       <<<<<<<<<An obvious factory flaw

>   As to the agraffe termination at the bridge, I think this works
> quite well and, is probably a better, but more expensive mousetrap.
> Perhaps the expense is not that much more than the conventional method
> but I would guess that it would be as the bridge requires, of course,
> planing, notching of a somewhat different fashion,  the maple strip,
> notching of ribs, AND an agraffe and its installation.  The ringtime of
> this system seems distinctly superior to my ear in comparison to the
> conventional method.

>>>>>>>>Me too--Regards-------------Dale Erwin>>>>>>>>>>

> Regards, Robin Hufford
> 


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