Piano Rims (rambling post)

[Phillip L Ford]

On Sun, 30 Dec 2001 12:40:37  
 JIMRPT wrote:
>
>In a message dated 30/12/01 11:33:50 AM, fordpiano@lycos.com writes:
>
><<" Maybe they know something we don't. ">>
>
>Not really Phil since acoustic guitars work on the principle of a sound 
>chamber and as such the thickness of the chambers enclosure is not all that 
>critical.

I'm not sure I buy that.  That chamber wants to resonate at a certain frequency.
Around that frequency I would think that the guitar's sound is strongly influenced
by the chamber, but away from that frequency the sound would be more influenced
by the soundboard (top) and rim (ribs I think the guitar guys call them).

> Even at that the thickness, material and construction techniques 
>used in an acosutic guitar has a large influence on the tone of that guitar. 

Right.  Like the rim thickness and stiffness.

><<"You would think that
>guitar builders would be more concerned about energy
>dissipation than piano builders,">>
>
> Concerned..yes but their concern is focused on the vacant space as much, if 
>not more, as it is on the material. For example a guitar designed as an 
>electric thingee, you know with the solid body, has very good sustain but no 
>useful volume without being plugged into an amp

You think that could be because there's no bridge and the string's energy is
only being dissipated by the air?  I bet a regular acoustic guitar would have
pretty good sustain if you took off the bridge.  Of course, you wouldn't be
able to hear it.

>...whereas that same design 
>will have a shorter sustain and more useful volume when built to be an 
>acosutic thingeee.

Right.  But I think the question is would it have longer sustain or more useful
volume if the rim was heavier and stiffer?


> There is a line between 'suspension' sytems and 'support' systems...to end 
>this post I would say that, using a car analogy, a flexible soundboard 
>termination would act more like a shock absorber than a mounting 
>bracket...one being designed to 'dampen' and the other being designed to 
>'support'.
>My view.
>Jim Bryant (FL)
>

I wonder.  If you whacked a car with a hammer, do you think it would vibrate
longer or with greater amplitude being on shock absorbers than being rigidly
mounted to the wheels?

Phil F


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