Can you believe all you read?

[David Nereson]

justpianos@our.net.au wrote:

>List,
>I recently purchased CD set of 20 years of Journal. Very informative.
>In Feb. 1979 I read, under Tuner-Technicians Forum, a question on bridle 
>straps(tapes, thus;
>How do you measure the correct amount of slack for bridle straps, and what is 
>the best amount for good repetition?
>The answer, by, I assume a respected Technician, Jack Krefting, went 
>something like this;
>We do not adjust bridle straps for repetition...the function is simply to 
>keep the jack from slipping under the butt felt when the action is removed.
>
>Can anybody tell me if this is technically correct. I have replaced many sets 
>of straps, and find this repair tedious.
>Could I have simply replaced the complet set with a wooden, metal or wire 
>rail running under the whippens, and why have manufacturers not done this in 
>the intervening years?
>
>Bruce Browning - The Piano Tuner.
>
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
>
>
>  
>
    It's true that the primary function of bridle straps is to keep the 
jacks from falling under the butts when removing the action.  However, 
high-speed photography conducted by Yamaha in the late 1970's, I 
believe, showed that the bridle strap does indeed aid in repetition in 
certain types of keystrokes.   At least one technician on this list 
claims that he can feel the difference if a bridle strap is glued (or 
corked) into the catcher, rather than into the butt where the catcher 
stem is glued.
    Bridle wires are usually regulated so that sthey are taut when the 
soft pedal is depressed, i.e., when the hammers are at half blow 
distance.  Also, when the soft pedal is depressed, the tautness of the 
bridels should not cause any keys to "wink." 
     Most verticals will play just fine without bridles, if everything 
else is regulated properly, and yes, you could probably just insert a 
rail, but why have piano manufacturers continued to install bridle 
straps?  There must be a reason besides "tradition," which goes by the 
wayside if it's not cost-effective. 
    --David Nereson, RPT