Arthur Loesser claims "...that the complete modern Steinway piano was not fully evolved until the 1870's" (Loesser, 495). By that time, though, Steinway and sons had crafted a bundle of innovations into a single entity. One built upon the next, the Steinways took the design changes ditctated by the one-piece cast-iron frame and began to work out the problems that the new technology posed. One such problem was the new frame design begged for a richer tone to match the volume now possible. Here, the Steinways played with the idea of cross-stringing, layering the strings, finally to be called the Overstrung Scale and the Double-overstrung Scale.

Mason defines 'Overstrung' as: "A condition in which the strings of a piano are arranged radially in two layers, the treble below the bass, to provide the greatest possible length of strings within the potential diagonal of the bass section." "This arrangement," says Mason, "also permits the bridge to be placed in a highly sensitive position on the soundboard, thus yielding greatly improved tone quality and power. (Mason, 81) The process wasn't exactly invented by Steinway, but it was Henry Steinway, Jr., that applied the innovation, thus transforming it into its own application. By 1855 Steinway & Sons had boosted the company's reputation and were well on their way to the finest piano making in the world.

The end result of the Steinway effort was a tone-producing tool of matchless strength and sensitiveness. It was a structure that could withstand the most passionate punches of the most furious virtuoso. No latter-day Liszt could smash it. All the muscle of the strongest man could now be utilized for tonal expression (Loesser, 495).

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