ACOUSTIC ASSEMBLY
SOUNDBOARD
The soundboard and ribs are made from selected, fine-grained European mountain spruce, which is stored for years and dried carefully. The bridges consist of solid European beech with European beech caps. The ribs are not tapered at the edges until they have been glued onto the soundboard. The back frame and outer rim are fully glued and stored for months before the soundboard is glued on.
BACK FRAME
The robust, triple-laminated tapered pine braces with continuous external layers are affixed to the inner rim by strong dowel joints. Rim beams of solid Pine, triple laminated.
PINBLOCK
C. Bechstein pin block with three cross-laminated, solid hard maple layers, outer layers made from cross-laminated sheets of beech veneer.
TUNING PINS
Quality tuning pins made from nickle-plated steel. Balanced torque, low torsion, excellent tunability and tuning stability, with tuning pin bushings.
CAST-IRON FRAME
The cast-iron frame has the stability needed to withstand the enormous string tensions. Thanks to the careful sizing and traditional method of sand casting by hand, the cast-iron frame also enhances the sound.
STRINGS
Made from quality piano wire with high tensile strength and valuable copper wire from Germany, the strings have been calculated to maximize string length with a balanced register, harmonious partials and excellent tuning stability.
C. Bechstein agraffes in bass and the middle range, capo d’astro with duplex strings in the treble section, duplex scaling in the rear middle and treble section. Resonating duplex strings enrich the color and vibrancy of the tone.
ACTION & EQUIPMENT
C. BECHSTEIN DYNAMIC TOUCH DESIGN
Developed in-house, the highly reliable C. Bechstein actions allow perfect control and execution in every position of the key movement and offer quick repetition as well as a pleasant and even touch. Every key is balanced individually.
KEYBOARD
A quality keyboard made of solid spruce keys, man-made white key tops with a pleasant grip and ebony sharps. Precise key movements with high-quality, wear-resistant bushing felt. Adjustable glide bolts support the balance rail. Precise and perfectly adjustable keyboard guidance mechanism in the cheek block.
PEDALS
3 pedals: Piano (una corda), sostenuto and forte (damper).
C. BECHSTEIN HAMMERKÖPFE
Developed and produced in-house, C. Bechstein hammer heads are a significant and consistent factor in the unique sound of the C. Bechstein Academy line – made with the highest-quality elastic felt and mahogany mouldings. The intricate, multi-stage process of voicing is performed to C. Bechstein quality standards.
