Hi MMDers, I would like to add something to Bill Koenigsberg's
posting.  As a string maker I keep a chart of all the bass strings
I make and the variations in bass string just between piano and piano
is huge.  Mind you, my experiences have mainly been with upright
players.  Gulbransens are one of the worst offenders of this, and
even our own Beale pianos, but they were trying to improve.

I found the late model Beales to have the best scaling (1928-1929).
When I make a set of stings for a Beale I stick to this scaling.
The same with the Gulbransens; I found the scale of the last of the
cutups had the best scale.  Gulbransen at one time wound their
strings with steel wire; the same for Victor/Lafargue.

As to tone, you can never replace the same tone, simply because
different materials make a different sound.  As to my "non-rusting
bass strings" all a string maker and piano rebuilder can try and do
is to improve a sound.  Calculations are fine but it's your ears
that count.  Also, what I hear maybe different to what you hear.

Steve Marx - Australia Piano and Pianola Factory
http://www.pianosandpianolas.com/