Just footnote to this post... The climate here in Bergen is piano friendly I'd have to say. We rarely get above 70 % outside RH... tho it happens.... and inside I would guesstimate that we range usually from around 25 to 60 % RH for the most part. Not anything like the very high levels of RH found in many places in the US. This perhaps may explain why there are so many very nice sounding old CC boards around here. I know of one 300XXX serial number D that is dead.... but nearly all other older Steinways around here sound quite nice with regard to issues like the killer octave syndrome and postulated affects of compression over many years... etc. In fact, I find it unavoidable (and have for nearly 20 years now) to conclude that exactly Steinways age much nicer then most instruments. Tho that could have as much to do with the fact that people seem to have a tendency to actually take care of Steinways to a greater degree then they will other instruments. We have a locally produced instrument from the past here that I know to be a RC board... How much one can say they are RC&S I am unsure of... but the ribs were crowned, and the boards were dried only to ambient room RH in the winter time for assembly. These are are very nicely made small pianos really... typical in sound characteristic to Scandinavian instruments... light and bright. The boards are very responsive... and even a very soft hammer will often sound harsh and too bright. Not a lot of big bass sound... tho clear and defined. The problem with these instruments is that one very very often finds that the strings have pulled away from the bridge after climate changes causing all manner of nasty buzz problems. Downbearing angles installed at production are not at fault here.... at least if the previous owners/builders are to be taken at their word. Solution is simple enough really.. one simply re-seats the strings moderately.. you can usually do this with your finger actually. But its a yearly routine. The condition nearly always shows up in the lower treble but often enough over most of the piano. They do not exhibit an abnormal amount of soundboard cracking... tho most of them do have at least some hairline pulls. These instruments were made in the 50's, 60's and 70's. I dont know what kind of SB earlier models of this factory used but the factory goes back to the late 1800's in its earliest conception. They closed down in 74 I believe. Taking into account the fact that I am comparing Steinway grands to very good quality produced upright.... I'd still end up having to conclude that at least in our climate... the CC board survives quite a bit better over time. We also have a lot of Bechsteins, a few Bossies, and some assortments of other German makes around. Cant say any of these have stood the test of time at all really... which points me away again from the CC vs RC thing and back at how well instruments are treated. Hard to say really.... why so many Steinways in our area seem to have survived long years with still very good performing soundboards.... but it inevitably forces me to conclude that the basic construction is every bit as viable as any other.. at the very least. At least in a climate friendly environment. Cheers RicB
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