Pianotech

  • 1.  SD6 low treble angled bridge notches

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-08-2018 21:20
    I'm referring to the section above the tenor where the bridge notching is angled rather than being perpendicular to the strings of the unison ... thus resulting in slightly (about 1-2mm) different speaking lengths for each string.

    I've always thought it was kind of a goofball feature but OTOH, never thought it sounded particularly bad during personal encounters -- and I was expecting it to.

    Anyway, I now have an SD6 in my shop. Scope of work includes removing bridge pins ... so I could re-notch if I wanted to. But....

    Is there any point? Will I (or anyone else) be able to hear a difference?
    (This piano will be going into a modest size lesson/small ensemble rehearsal room)

    Thanks in advance for your input.

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    Keith Akins
    Akins Pianocraft
    Menominee MI
    715-775-0022
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  • 2.  RE: SD6 low treble angled bridge notches

    Posted 05-08-2018 22:11
    My take is that these unequal SL's are intended to make more projected impact noise in a large performance venue. It is a concert grand, after all. For the intended venue, where ears are up close and personal, I would equalize the SL's. Sustain will increase, and carrying power probably decrease a little...but in this venue carrying power will mostly only be perceived as harshness.

    With these large hall intended designs, the sound of the instrument does not develop fully until one is physically removed from the instrument. In the venue you mentioned, that spacial attribute is removed. I would prioritize the ears that will will in close proximity to the instrument, and give them something that is more akin to pitch to percieve.

    ------------------------------
    Jim Ialeggio
    grandpianosolutions.com
    Shirley, MA
    978 425-9026
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  • 3.  RE: SD6 low treble angled bridge notches

    Posted 05-08-2018 22:44
    Hi,

    I mostly agree with Jim on this.

    Most of the instruments with these kinds of designs that I have seen
    over the years have still been in medium to large acoustic environments;
    and, to my ear, those that have been restored with the "staggered"
    bridge pins as they were designed pretty much always "work" better than
    ones in which the SL's have been equalized.

    Anyway, while I'm sure that this one is going to thoroughly kicked
    around the barnyard, I remain convinced that the folks who came up with
    these designs knew precisely what they were doing; and, as Jim notes, in
    the environments for which they were designed, the scales can work very,
    very well.

    Kind regards.

    Horace


    On 5/8/2018 7:10 PM, Jim Ialeggio via Piano Technicians Guild wrote:
    > Please do not forward this message due to Auto Login.
    >
    > My take is that these unequal SL's are intended to make more projected impact noise in a large performance venue. It is a concert grand, after all. For the intended venue, where ears are up close and personal, I would equalize the SL's. Sustain will increase, and carrying power probably decrease a little...but in this venue carrying power will mostly only be perceived as harshness.
    >
    > With these large hall intended designs, the sound of the instrument does not develop fully until one is physically removed from the instrument. In the venue you mentioned, that spacial attribute is removed. I would prioritize the ears that will will in close proximity to the instrument, and give them something that is more akin to pitch to percieve.
    >
    > ------------------------------
    > Jim Ialeggio
    > grandpianosolutions.com
    > Shirley, MA
    > 978 425-9026
    > ------------------------------
    > -------------------------------------------
    > Original Message:
    > Sent: 05-08-2018 21:19
    > From: Keith Akins
    > Subject: SD6 low treble angled bridge notches
    >
    > I'm referring to the section above the tenor where the bridge notching is angled rather than being perpendicular to the strings of the unison ... thus resulting in slightly (about 1-2mm) different speaking lengths for each string.
    >
    > I've always thought it was kind of a goofball feature but OTOH, never thought it sounded particularly bad during personal encounters -- and I was expecting it to.
    >
    > Anyway, I now have an SD6 in my shop. Scope of work includes removing bridge pins ... so I could re-notch if I wanted to. But....
    >
    > Is there any point? Will I (or anyone else) be able to hear a difference?
    > (This piano will be going into a modest size lesson/small ensemble rehearsal room)
    >
    > Thanks in advance for your input.
    >
    > ------------------------------
    > Keith Akins
    > Akins Pianocraft
    > Menominee MI
    > 715-775-0022
    > ------------------------------
    >
    >
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  • 4.  RE: SD6 low treble angled bridge notches

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-08-2018 23:06
    I agree with Horace. I think they had a good reason and put plenty of thought into it before implementing it.

    Pwg

    ------------------------------
    Peter Grey
    Stratham NH
    603-686-2395
    pianodoctor57@gmail.com
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  • 5.  RE: SD6 low treble angled bridge notches

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-09-2018 11:01
    Not to be a contrarian, but I think the angled bridge pins (Steinway did this for awhile but abandoned it) were to put the strings slightly out of phase and increase the sustain in a section that is often challenged that way.  I don't think it has any effect on the attack sound and in a concert hall I would doubt that there would be any audible difference given the nature of concert hall acoustics and a general natural reverb that exists. 

    With respect to the job you are doing I don't see any real reason to modify the bridge cuts and I see plenty of reasons not to.  If you want to make them equal you will have to cut the notch back to the longest speaking length, plug two of the holes and redrill on the edge of the notch (in whatever order).  I don't see any real benefit to undertake that kind of modification.  If you were recapping the bridge then you can reconsider squaring up the pin line.  I usually do square them up when recapping bridges or installing a new board on a piano that has this feature.  However, while I have done that on Steinways I have not done that on a Baldwin FWIW.

    ------------------------------
    David Love RPT
    www.davidlovepianos.com
    davidlovepianos@comcast.net
    415 407 8320
    ------------------------------