S&S D Duplex

[Duplexdan@aol.com]

Tony Caught,

Your interest in the duplex scale is of special note to me because of your 
knowledge and experience with other stringed instruments. My own research 
revealed that CFT Steinway did study some amount of violin making in addition 
to having a highly technical relationship with Hermann Helmholtz. This 
suggests that what he learned from the violin makers and HH led him to 
develop the idea of placing the duplex harmonic bridges in such a position as 
to be divisions of the speaking length that are quantified into oliquot 
portions. When the duplex bridge changes its direction it is because the 
scale designer requres a different interval. You may be interested to 
purchase my book  THE DUPLEX SCALE FIELD MANUAL GUIDE,  which is a compendium 
of the duplex scales found in the worlds' most popular pianos. $20.00 (over 
15 years of research went into this volume)

The point I feel you would like to address is that the sustain and quality of 
a speaking length is enhanced when the fundamental of the non speaking length 
produces a tone which is a low partial of the speaking length. This, in my 
experience is 100% true. Steinway said so in 1872, and I have ample reason to 
recommend his opinion to you. So do hundreds of technicians who have taken my 
seminars.

The bottom line is, Tony, until you try it you won't buy it. But once you try 
it, if you follow the original patent 126848, you will know the answer for 
yourself. If you would like a copy of CFT's patent and mine 5736660 I will be 
delighted to include them in the shipment...add $5. @ plus postage. That's 
all.

By the way I have an old classmate friend in Austrailia who I hope will some 
day invite me there to play golf as well as invest in a Rumanian soundboard 
factory. I'd love to come to Austrailia and tune some duplexes if I can get 
some tee times. It would be an adventure to visit you to assist in your 
efforts to imporve piano tone, and at the same time visit my classmate Henry 
Spira, in Sydney. The bonus would be if we can cook up a plan to manufacture 
Rumanian spruce into soundboards. if this idea is too far "down under", let's 
just deal with the duplex which is right up front and waiting to be tuned.

The internet may finally have a worthwhile purpose for the PTG.


Dan Franklin