[CAUT] rescale bass strings

[Richard Brekne]

Hi again David.

After reading a couple other posts on this thread I thought I might add 
a few thoughts on the matter.  My reply below was meant to be taken bit 
lightly, but seriously just the same.  Its probably a good idea to 
remember that by definition you are not going to make any improvements 
per'se... only alterations.  Now I'm not naive enough to not be aware of 
the fact that ofte times the changes we make will be appreciated by many 
as improvements... and in some cases nearly everyone passing judgment on 
said changes will be in agreement.  But in reality that kind of 
consensus is a good deal more rare then it may appear.  For a variety of 
reasons as well, some less rational then others to be sure, some more so.

I'll throw out a few examples of modern day popular <<design changes>> 
that are far more controversial then advocates of these want to admit.  
McMorrows light weight hammer approach, Stanwoods action re-designs, and 
some of the total redesigns to well known brand names we've seen 
discussed here.   While many approve of these there can be no doubt that 
many do not. And this most definitely and most importantly includes our 
matron saint... the pianist.   So what do we tell the customer when we 
propose something like an action redesign, a rescaling... or anything of 
the kind ?  Personally,  I've gotten to the point where I guard my 
comments.  Instead of throwing out lots of superlatives, declarations 
and promises of way better performance... I simply discuss thoroughly 
what the actual expected results of any change I propose are. I can say 
the action will play faster, lighter, heavier, bigger,... or the piano 
will sound deeper, brighter...    whatever you get the drift.  If the 
customer likes the sound of any proposal.. then we go forward if not 
then we dont. In anycase the customer has a much clearer idea what she 
is buying into and I am held to a much more reasonable form of 
accountability.

So yeah... J.D. spelled out the technical info you need to supply a 
string maker, and in addition you need to describe what kind of 
performance change you are looking for.  If you don't then you get only 
the scale designers idea of what an improvement is.  With which you may 
end up being exactly ok with... or you may not.

Just a small note of caution before promising the world to a customer.

Cheers
RicB


            I suppose amoung other things,... what your definition of an
            <<improvement>> is... :)

            Cheers
            RicB


        What information does the string maker need for improving the
        scaling of the bass section in a 5'3" George Steck?
        David Ilvedson, RPT
        Pacifica, CA 94044