[pianotech] Restringing at Lower Tension

[William Ballard]

Greetings from a long-time wayfarer.

One of my customers (with nine pianos, most of whom have work by me)  
has a 1892 Stwy AI which he would like now to restring with a new  
block (plus new action). He has a notion (deserving to be tested) that  
if the stringing scale is stepped down a wire size (read: rescale  
entirely, at lower tension), that this will send the sound of the  
piano further in the direction of the "19th Century". ie., The onset  
of the sound will be slightly delayed (IOW, gentler bloom). I've  
explained to him that the place to adjust bloom is with the proper  
choice and voicing of hammers. He realizes that lower string mass  
means lower volume, and although I don't know what size room the piano  
will end up in, I'm sure this is part of his thinking.

A few more details to get the collective wisdom off and bubbling:

1.) The original board is fine (no weak regions, downbearing is there  
along with front bearing at the bridge). This will be the foundation  
for this 19th Century sound. But the rescaling will be stringing  
alone; the tenor bridge and all speaking lengths will not be changed.

2.) I'm turning the action into a high Strike/Balance Ratio action  
with light hammers on 15.75 knuckle-mounting distance shanks. There  
are plenty of choices for light hammers. This will preserve the 19th  
Century feel.

His instincts about pianos are usually right on. (It's me who's  
getting used to the idea of turning a Stwy A into a square grand.)

Bill Ballard RPT
NH Chapter, P.T.G.
wbps at vermontel.net

"I'll play it and tell you what it is later...."
     ...........Miles Davis
+++++++++++++++++++++