How does one go about duplicating a soundboard? Are the moisture content (MC) to which panels are dried, the radius to which the ribs are cut (if any), and the radius of all cauls used for gluing ribs to panel (again, if any radius) for all Steinway models? I suspect some of this is known about Steinway, because they are still in business. How about Mason & Hamlin. How about the 14,000 manufacturers that have made pianos? Obviously the physical dimensions can be reproduced by measuring the old board. But what about the MCs and various radii? I think even most replacements for Steinways are being made with radiused ribs. So it seems to me designs are being changed even in belly jobs that are referred to as "duplications". Andre Bolduc with "duplicate" a board and mail it back to you. Nick Gravagne will do the same. Where do these and others lie with respect to the original MCs and radii? Are these rebuilders telling their clients that their piano will be redesigned? Or at least some major portions of the piano. How has it been determined that these design changes result in a "good board"? Trial & error? (I would suppose that to be the case.) I guess the bottom line is that I hear so much about duplicating all aspects of the original piano design. But is seems to me that most folks are not actually doing that. Comments? Thoughts? Terry Farrell
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