Old Upright, partial plate, Pitch?

[Delwin D Fandrich]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike and Jane Spalding" <mjbkspal@execpc.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: August 08, 2001 6:04 PM
Subject: Re: Old Upright, partial plate, Pitch?


> One curiosity I didn't mention was the soundboard/rib separations.  The
> soundboard has a ripple running from corner to corner along the grain,
that
> bows away from the ribs, creating a 3 to 4 mm gap between the ribs and the
> soundboard.  There is not a single crack showing in the soundboard.  I'm
> wondering if next winter, when the humidity drops to 30% or so, if the the
> ripple will flatten out and the cracks will open up.  Anyone seen this
> before?


Sure. Classic rib-to-soundboard glue failure and a bit of soundboard
compression. At the age of this piano, though, it's some surprising there
would be enough compression left in the board to push the thing out like
that. It's possible its been that way for some time and the soundboard has
simply developed a memory for that shape. Sooner or later you--or
somebody--is going to have to get in there and glue it all back together
again.

That, or replace the soundboard.

Del