Epoxy & soundboards

[Delwin D Fandrich]

----- Original Message -----
From: <ANRPiano@aol.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: December 24, 2002 10:13 AM
Subject: Epoxy & soundboards


> This fall I had two candidates come in the shop.  New soundboards, would
> certainly have been called for, but economics made that an unreasonable
> solution.
>
> The first piano was an upright of unknown origin but built like a tank
from
> around 1890 (my guess), the second was a very small (4' 6" if you
stretched
> the piano a bit) again of unknown origin but probably a P.A.Starck.
Neither
> piano was a functional instrument for a number of reasons but had
tremendous
> sentimental value to their owners.


And thank you, Andrew, for the report. I received more feedback and comments
on this article than on everything else I've written over the years --
combined.

Unfortunately most of it was about using the technique on a 1920 Steinway B
or a 1910 Mason & Hamlin BB or some such. At the last minute I had
considered not submitting the article because I feared the technique would
end up being misused in just that way. It may well be that time will prove
the technique to be reliable and effective enough to substitute for
soundboard replacement in even high-end pianos, I hope so. But that time is
not yet. It is still a promising but unproven technology. At least that's my
view.

The pianos you describe are exactly how I envisioned the technique being
used. Salvaging a couple of old, non-descript pianos that otherwise would
have to be scrapped does my environmental conscience good. And that they end
up with some better performance than they probably would have otherwise had
is a musical plus. Thanks for the Christmas present.

Regards,

Del