informal/definitions/rerere

[Delwin D Fandrich]

Danny Moore wrote:

> JIMRPT wrote:
>
> >   As to Del's comments re: boards I will defer to his greater experience but I
> > don't think he said that any board that goes into compression stress needs
> > to be replaced...did he?
>
> Actually, I think he said that compression crowned boards, by their very nature, were already damaged.  The wood fibers had
> been crushed by the crowning process (the same process I was taught for re-building soundboards) and they would never let
> the piano sound as good as it could, especially after they had been in this condition for 47 or 82 years.

Well, the wood fibers aren't necessarily crushed by the crowning process itself. It's just that the process does place them
under a fairly high level of compression stress immediately. And this level of compression stress goes up when the relative
humidity of the air surrounding the piano goes up. Very often this level of compression stress exceeds the structural limits
of the wood. Also, being under constant compression leads to compression set.  See the current series of articles appearing
in the Journal.


> I really think the real deal at this point is honesty and ethical behavior.  I've
> never heard of a Heniztman, but I'll bet it doesn't have either the quality or
> resale value of a M&H or S&S.  So, if it's worth, say, $5,000 on a good day, one probably shouldn't convince the customer
> it's worth spending $22,500
> for a complete rebuild.
>
> So, if you play a piano with a rebuilt soundboard in the forrest, but there's no
> one there to hear . . . . . .
>
> Danny Moore (TX)

I have run across only a few Heintzman's. I don't know about resale value in your neck of the woods, but in terms of
construction quality and acoustic performance, those I have seen would hold their own against most Steinway's and Mason &
Hamlin's. The decal on the fallboard might not be worth quite as much, but I'd not hesitate to remanufacture one. It
shouldn't take $22,500 to do it, though.

-- ddf

PS.  If "you" are playing the piano in the forest, then "you" are there to hear it. However, if it has a PianoDisc installed,
I suppose that might be another question...