Delwin D Fandrich wrote: > We would encounter this notion from time to time when folks -- usually a > piano technician or a piano salesperson -- would learn that the lower edge > of our soundboard free-floated. After exclaiming over how nice the bass on > the piano sounded and that they had not heard anything quite that good in a > piano of this size, they would go on to explain to me that I really > shouldn't allow the lower edge of the soundboard to free-float like that. > Soundboards really have to be supported around their entire parameter, you > see, and if I would just tie the soundboard down in the normal fashion, it > would surely sound 'better.' Actually, we have a great deal of flexibility > in soundboard design, if we're willing to explore them just a bit. And > shake off some of the ingrained ideas we've been taught, lo, these many > years. I've seen a few antique European uprights with only three sides of the board fastened continuously to the case, with liner free or only locally attached to the case, either at the top - sometimes curving away from the block in the bass, or the bottom - sometimes curving away from the base in the treble. I know of an unusual antique grand that has this, too ("Oh, that's so the sound can come out"!!). Clark
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