rim laminations

[Ron Nossaman]

>The question in my mind is just what degree of stiffness is 
>necessary.  Suppose we have 50/50 horizontal/vertical grain in a 50 mm 
>inner rim, braced, and tightly glued to a 35 mm. outer rim, further made 
>rigid by the attachment of the string plate, is the difference in impedance 
>(I use the word loosely because I admit I could not define it tightly) 
>between such a structure and a structure composed entirely of horizontal 
>layers of maple, ash etc. going to be detectable even to scientific 
>measuring methods, let alone to the bare ear?

With decent hardwoods and adequate bracing, that could very well be the case.



>Despair that the great Yamaha, prince of the lyric arts, purveyor of 
>pianofortes to the archangels has a soft rim????  From the sound of any 
>Yamaha I've ever come across I wouldn't be surprised to discover a 
>soundboard of glass fibre!
>
>JD

Oh no, Yamaha's soft rims are anything but a surprise. 
Ron N