S&S D Duplex

[Delwin D Fandrich]

----- Original Message -----
From: <Duplexdan@aol.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: November 18, 2002 11:24 PM
Subject: Re: S&S D Duplex


> Del,
>
> Of all the technicians who contribute to our art I consider you one of the
> finest. yet, until you successfully tune a duplex scale, your comments on
> this feature cannot be considered valid. I did not invent it, and your
> credibilty is not in question but your opinion on this matter is simply
> subject to your knowledge. I have loved and appreciated your classes and
your
> contribution to our art, and I am hopefully anticipating your input on
this
> matter.
>
> Dan Franklin
--------------------------------------

Dan,

Ah, but I have successfully tuned a duplex scale. Quite a few of them, in
fact. Now, admittedly, the last time I really spent any real time devoted to
the process has been some years back and I had to do it without the benefit
of your tools and expertise--but I have done it. I just haven't achieved the
results you claim to achieve. Indeed, it was my work with tuning these
things--coupled with my observation of the work and teachings of
others--that ultimately led me to question the veracity of the many claims
made for them. And, unless you have some kind of magic elixir you are not
revealing to the world, I regret that I also can not bring myself to believe
your claims of 300% to 500% increases in sustain time. These claims imply
that by "tuning" the backscale duplex of our (slightly modified) Steinway
A-3 I can increase the usable sustain time at C-64 from approximately 12-15
seconds to a some phenomenal 36  to 45 seconds! And that's just hoping for a
300% increase, never mind the 500%. No, I remain skeptical. It is my opinion
that tuning the backscale of this piano would not only fail to produce any
substantive improvement in sustain time but would probably detract from that
which we already have.

In my opinion the tuned-duplex technology remains a questionable technology
and is one which--as we develop a more accurate picture of how the piano
really works--we should be moving beyond and leaving behind.

Now, having said all of this, I should add that if a manufacturer does
choose to use a tuned duplex system it should at least be used correctly.
So, hang in there....

Regards,

Del