I've always been insterested in the minutiae of grand scale designs. Recently, I started noticing that (of the ones I conciously looked at), the designs used agraffes for the lower 3/5 of the scale and then a single capo bar for the upper 2/5.

I can understand the reason to use agraffes instead of a capo on the wound strings, but wonder what the reasoning is for using a capo in the upper register. Is there any particular benefit to one over the other? Is anyone familiar with a scale that uses only agraffes or only a capo bar?

Bechstein use aggraffes all the way through, they also have open face pinblocks (something else to look at).

Hientzmans also have aggraffes as part of the capo, yet another thing to look out for!

Brian:

I think I remember hearing a mention of Bechsteins using agraffes all the way through, but I neglected to notice last time I looked at one.



That sounds pretty bizarre! How (or should I ask where) are they mounted on the capo?

Within the V of the capo