[CAUT] Loose Soundboards

[Barbara Richmond]

Jim,

What's the length of the mallet?

Barbara Richmond

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "James Ellis" <claviers at nxs.net>
To: <caut at ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, March 04, 2006 9:33 AM
Subject: [CAUT] Loose Soundboards


> Several messages ago, someone talked about a piano lacking in power and
> sustain, possibly due to a soundboard that was loose at the rim.  Years
> ago, I made myself a little wooden mallet from a piece of 3/4 inch dowel
> loaded with key leads, padded on each end with felt and leather, with a 
> 3/8
> inch dowel for a handle.  The padding on one end is thin and stiff, but
> that on the other end is thick and soft.  If I suspect that a soundboard 
> is
> loose at the rim, or has a loose rib, I crawl under the piano, and thump 
> on
> the board with the mallet, working my way around the edges and along the
> ribs.  If there is a loose spot, it will rattle.  Sometimes the end with
> the thin padding works best to find the rattle, but at other times, the
> soft padded end works best.  This works so much better than banging on a
> buzzing note, and trying to find the trouble spot.  If the mallet thumping
> and presssing on the board at different places finds no rattles, I look 
> for
> something else that may be causing a buzzing note.  It's such a simple
> test, and it works so well.  In fact, I made two of these things.  The
> heavier one weighs about 1/4 pound.
>
> Jim Ellis
>
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