Varying bridge height (was Re: Floating soundboard)

[Phillip L Ford]

On Mon, 25 Mar 2002 10:31:55  
 ANRPiano wrote:

>Years ago I rebuild a very small grand, (whose name escapes me) which had a 
>rather sizable area removed directly behind the bass bridge.  The area being 
>probably about 15 square inches.  Incidentally the plain of the soundboard 
>sloped down toward the bass about 2 inches from the belly rail.  I had never 
>seen such a set up, nor have I since.
>
>Andrew Remillard
>

I remember seeing a piano like this in another rebuilder's shop.  I think it was a
Mehlin.  A fairly large chunk of soundboard had been removed (or never put there
in the first place).  The way I remember it was the area between the last rib (most
bass-wise rib) and the rim was open.  Also the soundboard was set into the case
at an angle so that the bridge was quite a bit taller at the bass end than at the
treble end.  I seem to recall it had some sort of fanciful name like cello-piano or
cello-tone or some such thing.   I only saw the piano when it was destrung and
never got to hear or play it.
I think the idea of the varying bridge height is an interesting one.  It seems probable
to me that the optimum bridge height is not the same at the top end of the scale as
it is at the bottom end of the scale.  Setting the soundboard in the case at an angle
to the string plane would be a way of varying the bridge height (assuming of course
that you want the maximum height at one end and the minimum height at the other
end - which might not be the case).

Phil F

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




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