Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Tuner-Technicians Forum Front Duplex Steinway "A"

I've never noticed this before.
I was prepping for paint the front duplex segments for this Steinway "A". The third one from the right is made of brass, the rest are steel. It's only four unisons. It definitely had deeper string grooves than the rest being of a softer metal.

I have assumptions on why Steinway did this. Duplex noise suppression.

Does anyone else have reasons?

I know nothing about your question, but Steinway front duplexes don't look anything like that these days. Are they individually adjustable or something?

They are adjustable somewhat.
Before I remove them for painting I mark their original placement and put them back where I found them.

Once the strings are on, you can't adjust them.

Interesting. As far as I can tell on my B, the front duplexes are cast into the plate rather than being separate pieces.

I did this Model "A" last year and it had the current type of front duplex.

This one is 4 years newer than the one above.

What year are they?

I have never seen ones that are screwed in and adjustable like that. What A is it? The long A? A2 A3? Maybe that was one of the first of a scale/length change. Once they decided where they went, they cast them into the plate.

I suspect that they decided the separate ones were not worth the trouble and discontinued them. The brass one may have been an odd one that they needed to cast to complete a set when they were using up old stock. Reasons like that tend to be more likely than anything else.

The 1909 A I just purchased has the FDuplex like the later photo. Rod, what year is that?

I've tuned an 1883 model D with that style of front duplex configuration.

I see. Both of those pianos are drop-dead gorgeous! Nice job.

Both "A"s are A2's
The one with the adjustable duplex was manufactured in 1901
The other one was manufactured in 1906

I have seen the adjustable duplex in early 3 bridge "A"s
I also have a 1900 "B" coming for a rebuild with the adjustable Duplex.

I have seen many but never noticed the one segment cast in brass.

The segment looks identical to the others except for the string grooves. The unpainted bearing surface does not look like brass to me.

Well Jeff perhaps it's gold or copper then, since it does not look like brass to you.

It is a coppery brass color perhaps difficult to see in the pictures. And a magnet does not stick to it. The magnet stick to the others.

I did have them out for painting and I will be detailing the top of the one to remove the old grooves.

You know Rod,

This is just a guess but maybe they were experimenting with that area right beside the plate bar or something …trying a softer metal in that area maybe…. In the sixth octave if I am counting bridge pins correctly…..

I tuned an 1880's 85 note Steinway with that front duplex arrangement this morning. I didn't notice a change to brass, but there could have been. My guess would be that buzz control was the reason on yours.

Interesting post, Rod (and gorgeous work as usual!)

I have a couple of questions:

1. Some of the duplexes have a screw but most of them don't? Are the ones that don't held down by string pressure only? If so, I wonder why the others have a screw?

2. There's some sort of lettering or numbering on several of them. Have you deciphered any meaning out of those?

Just curious!

Has anybody asked the factory if they have any records available?

Great work on that rebuild....

1. There are 6 sections that make up the duplex. Two screws per section to fasten them to the plate.

2. They are numbered 1 to 6 left to right. Not sure what the "B" is for.

We had a PTG meeting tonight and those that make a comment agree on my thought of it being for duplex noise suppression. Helping in that sometimes annoying buzz you get on some models.

I guess once its strung I'll hear if it has any issues.

I have not asked anyone at Steinway. I doubt they would have any records for that, but you never know.

Thanks

Rod, I only hope my first S&S A build is half as nice as yours...looks great



Have you tried the new perimeter bolting system from Wessel, Nickles and Gross