Soundboard Chemical Treatment

[Barb Barasa]

MANY of my customers over the years have told me that another tuner told
them the soundboard was cracked and the piano was no good.  Usually what I
find is that the PINBLOCK is cracked.  This could also be the case with a
"something"block that has been chemically treated -- i.e., doped.

For some reason, people have heard of soundboards, they can see soundboards,
often there ARE cracks in the soundboard, and this is all they can remember.
The pinblock is hidden ... out of sight, out of mind.

Barb Barasa
Sycamore IL


>Greetings Folks,
>
>	I receive several inquiries about pianos from my website, but none
>was stranger than the person who proudly informed me that "the
>soundboard has been chemically treated to hold tuning longer", on
>their Schumann 5' grand #48322. I stifled a snort, and sent back a
>tactful reply asking what process was involved, who did it, what the
>benefits were, etc.
>
>Anyone else hear of this type of "treatment"?
>
>Thanks,
>Rob Kiddell
>R.P.T., P.T.G.
>C.A.P.T. Student
>Edmonton, Canada
>http://www.planet.eon.net/~atonal/atonal.html
>