Soundboard Thoughts (Kind of long, Part II)

[Delwin D Fandrich]

Roger Jolly wrote:

> >And, once again, I ramble.
> >
> >Del
> >
> Hi Del,
>         Keep rambling, it's so imformative. Restoring any piano to it's
> original glory! with just sound board work?
>  I'm sceptical on this. Whilst agreeing with all your comments on sound
> board technology, heck you are the master in this area. But how can we even
> begin to think, that we can ever imagine what the sound was like, with out
> new strings and cold pressed hammers. 80yr old wire has lost its elasticity
> period! The hammer also has lost it's elasticity. The variables of these
> two factors can not be ignored as the wire will effect sustain time or
> singing quality, and the hammer will effect the ratio of harmonic
> development. I am assuming that the strings have been removed to do the
> major sound board work that is under discussion, therefore where did the
> improvment come from? the board. the wire, the combination of the two.

Well, you can always work backwards. One can replace the hammers and get some level of change. Probably some improvement but
not a dramatic one. Then one can replace the strings and pinblock along with the associated bridge work and get a bit more of
an improvement. Sometimes quite a lot if the plate has be reset to restore some of the string downforce on the board. While
you're at it, go ahead and shim the old board. Repair it any way you wish. Finish it with whatever magic elixir you want to
use. Test the results, measure them if you wish. Then replace the board. This is where you will find the truly dramatic
results.

I didn't start replacing soundboards because I didn't have anything better to do with my time. It was because I was becoming
increasingly dissatisfied with the results of rebuilding pianos with the old boards still in them.



>   Do you give private tuition on sound board design, and modification.
> Regards Roger.
> >
> Roger Jolly
> University of Saskatchewan
> Dept. of Music.

No. At least not yet. It has taken me a very long time and has cost me a whole lot of money to learn what I have learned
about piano design, including what I've learned about soundboard design. Since I would still like to earn some of my income
by designing new pianos as well as redesigning existing pianos, I consider at least some of the actual design related
information to be proprietary. Having said that, I do try to share as much information as I can that applies to piano
servicing and rebuilding -- for whatever that may be worth -- without giving away the company store. For the most part this
information shows up here on pianotech as well as in the ongoing series "The Designers Notebook" in the Journal. Some day,
God willing and I last long enough, I'll probably try to put down some of this stuff in book form. But that's for another
day.

But it was kind of you to ask.

Regards,

Del