AB Chase Concert Grand

[Phillip Ford]

>Phil,
>
>No treble bell at all (picture of bracing attached).

The one that I did had a metal bell in the location where the topmost 
wooden frame brace is on your piano.  I'll try to get a picture of it at 
some point in the future.

>   I sure don't
>understand what those things are supposed to do.  Why have that extra
>support up front, and then leave practically the whole straight part of the
>rim disconnected from everything?  The braces fan out, mostly parallel to
>the strings.  Why not a short perpendicular brace to the middle of the rim?

Good question.  I think a perpendicular brace would be a good idea.


>My understanding of a ring bridge is one where the bass and treble sections
>are connected with a short curved segment (like Shigeru Kawaii 9' grands).

Yes, that's what I meant.  The larger Steinways have such an arrangement 
and it has been copied by many other makers.  The plate has to be raised in 
that area to span over this connection (so the strings have to pass 
under).  I thought the AB Chase that I did had this arrangement, but my 
memory may be faulty.  I'll see if I can remember to check up on that.

>On this one, the bridges are separate, but the bass bridge extends past the
>lowest string about 5", curving back toward the keyboard.
>
>--Cy--

Interesting how these designs change subtly over the years.

Phil Ford