Soundboard Thoughts (Kind of long, Part II)

[Delwin D Fandrich]

In looking over my previous post on this subject I fear that it might seem that I'm repudiating the process (described by Andre)
of renewing, or replacing, the ribs on an existing soundboard. I am not. This process, while new to me, does seem to have some
merit. If the original soundboard panel is reasonably intact, I would guess that much time and expense could be saved if it could
be removed, repaired as necessary, and reinstalled with new ribs. It would save the cost of a new soundboard panel. Bridge
placement would already be done.

It won't be the same as it was in the beginning, however. The acoustic design of the soundboard system has now been altered. The
wood fibers of the original panel will not be capable of sustaining anywhere near the compressive load that could be born by new
wood. So much more of the string's downforce load will now be carried by the ribs. This is ok, but it's probably not the same as
the original design. And I'm sure that the tone of the completed piano is now just as glorious as Andre describes it to be. But
we have no way of comparing it to the original. We can, of course, compare it to a new piano of the same make and model (assuming
that model is still being made). And the resurrected piano may well sound "better." But there are lots of reasons why this older
instrument with its new ribs might sound better than its modern counterpart. Not all of them have to do with the soundboard
panel. On close examination, we would probably find that much has changed over the past century -- not just the acoustical
properties of the soundboard panel. Could that company make a piano today that really does sound like its predecessor? Probably.
But not by attempting to adhere religiously to an acoustic design that was contemporary in 1897. Those days are gone. The
different elements of the acoustic design would have to be manipulated to reflect the reality of today -- the materials of today,
the labor force of today, the machines and processes of today, etc. It's all a balancing act and to many things are out of
balance.

We like to speak of the soundboard as being the "soul" of the piano and, therefore, somehow immortal. It is not. If one is prone
to classify these things, a strong argument can be made that the soundboard is the defining element of a piano's acoustic design.
Speaking in very broad and general terms, yes, the string scale design, the hammer characteristics, etc., are chosen to match the
acoustic response of the soundboard. So, in that context the soundboard is the "soul" of the piano. But, it is not immortal! It
gets old. It gets tired. It undergoes stresses that irreversibly damage it. Occasionally, with some heroic measures on the part
of skillful workmen (and women -- one of our "bellymen" is a young woman of great potential), there can be a partial -- although
temporary -- resurrection. Unfortunately, that resurrection can never be complete. Ultimately it, like all mortal things, it will
die.

Some things in this business never cease to puzzle me. One of them is this: We have a piano with an absolutely dead soundboard.
Sustain time is history. Tone quality is dead. Yet there is a fear that if we replace the soundboard it won't sound like it did
with its original soundboard. Well, for goodness sakes folks, I hope not! Why on earth are we talking about doing anything to the
soundboard in the first place. It's not working any more, that's why. The piano sounds awful. Of course we're going to be
changing the way this piano sounds! That's inevitable. Now as to whether it's going to sound like it did when the piano was new,
well, that's a whole other matter. A skilled and competent bellyman can probably come pretty close (if it's really desirable to
do so). And he/she can do so using the materials of today.

Mostly, I think, it's a matter of fear. Of trying to regain paradise lost, yet being afraid that being lost it can never be found
again.

And, once again, I ramble.

Del

"It is a curious thing that every creed promises a paradise which will be absolutely uninhabitable for anyone of civilized
taste."
Evelyn Waugh