Sohmer & Co. Grand #29598

Like the Hallet Davis pianos from a slightly earlier time, this model Sohmer uses agraffes to align the strings upon the bridges. A difference lies in the loading of the soundboard. Hallet Davis used a counterbalancing method where each agraffe added either lift or down-bearing depending the agraffes' holes alignment with the level of the plate. Each agraffe higher than the plate had a neighbor with holes lower than the plate to even out the down-bearing. Sohmer did this system one better by making each agraffe press down for good contact while at the same time lifting by keeping the point of contact on the bridge lower than the fixed ends of the string. As seen in the picture, each set of agraffe holes is slightly lower than the top of the bridge. This creates good down-bearing onto the cap of the bridge. But the cap of the bridge is lower than the plate, so as the strings are brought up to tension, the soundboard is lifted.