When does length stop affecting the bass notes?

[henrah]

If it didn't, then surely you can make an extremely long piano which had luscious and clean bass notes.

So when does the length of a piano stop affecting the sound of the bass notes?

[gfiore]

Theoretically it would be 25 feet.  You could scale a very long piano with an awesome bass. In reality, it would'nt be possible to manufacture because increased size and weight would be too difficult to manage.

[henrah]

Hmmm....

You know how the cross the strings over to get more length than they would making them go straight? What if they made them go upwards too? That would allow for a greater length, but not such an increase in length of the piano. It would just be taller. But I can imagine how the weight would affect it.

What about making the piano out of something light? I mean, surely there are parts of the piano where it doesn't matter about materials, therefore they could be made out of a really light material, thus saving on the weight.

You say it wouldn't be possible, but are you sure it would be completely impossible to make? Disregarding money and transportation, would it be possible? Also I know that Fazioli do a 308cm piano- do you know of any bigger than that? I'd love to play it and hear what the bass sounds like
Henrah

[gfiore]

The Rubinstein 371, but he's only made one so far. Pearl River made a few 13 feet inl ength. You can't have a bass bridge extending that high above the soundboard. So that would'nt work.
 All parts of the piano are importent acoustically lighter materials in the acoustic body would'nt work very well. And then there's the cost. You're looking at a couple hundred thousand to design and build a prototype, so it's not going to happen. Buy a concert grand, that's acoustically the optimum in piano design and performance.

[henrah]

Yeah, guess I'll have to settle with the mediocre bass


What was the Rubinstein 371 like in the bass? How much did it cost? And did he make it purely for himself?