At 11:30 AM 23/08/96 -0400, John Hartman wrote: >What I find particularly absurd is the idea that ridges in soundboard >indicate superior wood handling and seasoning. If this is true we should be >seeking pianos with ridges for our clients to buy and the more ridges the >better! Let's keep the ridges in the Ruffles. It may seem absurd, however both Joe Bisceglie and Steve Romeo told me that when Steinway "factory men" were choosing particularly good pianos for particular customers (usually friends or professionals) they would pick one WITH ridges over an equally good piano without them. This had been going on at least since Joe started with the factory as an elevator boy back in the early thirties. Is it just a "folk tale" that the ridges are a good thing? Quite possibly seeing the literature on the subject. On the other hand, maybe those long-dead factory workers knew something we don't? After all, if artists like Gary Graffman wouldn't allow The Basement to blow out "his" C&A piano because that dust bunny under the plate may be giving him just the sound he was looking for then perhaps the SB ridges add something to the sound that we don't understand yet as well? John John Musselwhite, RPT Calgary, Alberta Canada musselj@cadvision.com
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