From John Ross <jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca>
Quality of tie tapes/bridle strapsI find some pianos in the area, have had the tapes replaced, with what I thought was shoelace material.
Possibly it was material such as yours.
Would a shoelace manufacturer, possibly be a source for what you want?
John M. Ross
Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada
jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca
Original Message -----
From: John Delacour
To: pianotech@ptg.org
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2007 6:13 PM
Subject: Quality of tie tapes/bridle straps
Ever since I ran out of a 100 metre reel of tie tape and discovered to my horror that I could get no more, I have been searching in vain for a supplier of the good stuff. In the picture below from top to bottom are 1. Tape as used by Schwander in Paris about 1900, 2. Tape from my reel produced in England (Leicester?) till about 1980, 3. American tape obtained from Germany. Both 1 and 2 are 0.30 mm thick ( 0.012") and the American is 0.5 mm (0.020"). You will see that in Schwander's the fishbone pattern is repeated 7 times, in the English tape 8 times and in the American only 4. The only thing good to say of the American tape is that it uses the right weave, which is mopre than can be said for the rubbish now being supplied by the English houses.
Renner produce a tape of the proper weave but it is far to thick and heavy and of a grey color, which might be acceptable if its other qualities were OK, not to speak of the price. The Czechs produce a very white variety but this too is coarse and comes in lengths suitable only for pianos that attach them at the balance hammer, not at the butt. I see a Chinese product advertised on eBay -- 7.5 metres of tape and a packet of ends for you to stick on, all at an inflated price and looking from the picture no better than the other inferior tapes I've mentioned. They will not supply in bulk.
Does anyone happen to know the name of this type of weave or have relations of friends in the trade who might be able to identify it? I am seriously considering having the tape specially made in China or India to the proper quality. It could even be made of silk with advantage; indeed a couple of years ago I rebuilt a fine old 1907 Schiedmayer & Soehne that did have silk tapes still in perfect condition including the leather. These were light blue in colour and only 0.18 mm (0.007") in thickness.
Some things, in respect of supplies, have improved during my time in the trade, but generally speaking I find the supply houses ignorant of their product and unable to insist on the highest quality. The lack of awareness and sheepishness of most of their customers does not encourage them to change.
In the case of tie tape, there is good reason for using this weave and for making it light an very deformable, and tape of the quality I'm looking for was the norm for over 140 years. The old makers would simply not have accepted the rubbish that is served up today.
I hope someone can put me on the right track.
JD