pianotech-digest V2002 #623

[D.L. Bullock]

Subject: Re: Soundboard Installation & MC
>
> What argument would there be for drying prior to installation?
>
> Has this become the "standard" because the "masters" did it that
> way back when it was a fact that the rim supported the crown?
>
> I suppose if you flat ribbed it and dried the bajeezers out of
> it, the rim just might help to hold a bit of crown - at least
> until it got off the showroom floor!
>
> Terry Farrell


This is exactly the way a certain soundboard man "expert" in Cleves Ohio
does it.  I went to purchase a panel to make a soundboard a few years ago
and was given the tour.  He claimed to keep it all in the dry room, pulled
it out, glued "straight" ribs on and dried it again and put it in the piano
dry.  He then pulled it out and let the ambient moisture in the room put ALL
the crown into the board.  This was a great source of pride with him.  That
is great down there near Cincinnati where the Ohio river is only a few miles
away, but move that piano to any other place and I have had to deal with at
least three other pianos he replaced the board on and they soon sound just
like my old antique pianos before any work and have lost their crown.
Needless to say I did not follow his advice and I put the crown into the
ribs like I was taught to do.  My soundboards keep their crown.  I just do
not replace any boards unless someone drove a truck through it.  I always
recrown the old board to get the ultimate tone from the antiques.  I was
taught by the old guys who are now dead and I have been doing this for over
thirty years.  You cannot get the fullest tone from any piano with a new
soundboard.  The wood simply does not exist, plus perhaps the 80 years or so
of age improves the sound of the old boards.  I used to go to the huge
Steinway dealer in Dallas and visit their older Steinway room.  I went from
piano to piano playing one chord.  I then amazed my friend who was salesman
there when I told him perfectly which pianos had new boards and which did
not.

I will expect flames now because there are too many technicians who do not
believe that recrowning is possible.

D.L. Bullock
www.thepianoworld.com
St. Louis