More on soundboard crown

[Richard Brekne]

I think, that most rebuilders with a good deal of soundboard experience under their belt, know basically what they are doing... even if they lack the theoretical background some do. One gains experience in what works and what doesnt for the sound and performance one selv likes. With that in mind, I doubt that there are many "duplicators" in the sense of the word you seem to hint at, as that would really mean a really good working knowledge of both basic methods, and whatever minor offshoots there are... and a good aquaintaince with what each type of piano started out with assembly method wise.

Again.. and not meaning to slant this in any  negative direction... I see that as a primary reason for rebuilders to clearly make their mark on the instrument. A good rebuild is very much the product of the rebuilder.... no matter how well he/she can simply copy dimensions of this or that part.. it is the knowhow in putting it all together that will make or break the job.

Of course the usual qualifiers like IMHO, JMV, and UYRE apply.. grin.

Cheers

RicB



Farrell wrote:

> And that is precisely why I wonder how it is that soundboard builders that adhere to the "don't change anything the original masters did" go about "duplicating" soundboards? I guess with a S&S, one can do it because I think their manufacturing techniques are well documented (not that many "duplicators" follow them anyway). It seems to me that just duplicating panel and rib dimensions and wandering off in various directions with machining ribs and drying panels would be a prescription for failure. I think experience working with a few particular piano models will certainly help direct these changes in a direction that produces "acceptable" results, but what if I ship a board from an 1887 Weber or Sohmer or A.B. Chase (a model perhaps not previously encountered - and certainly not encountered many times) to someone for "duplication"? How often is the "design" of the "duplicate" just going to be pulled out of thin air - or it worked on the model M, I think it will work on the W!
> eber....?
>
> Terry Farrell
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ron Nossaman" <RNossaman@cox.net>
> To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Sunday, August 17, 2003 12:10 PM
> Subject: Re: More on soundboard crown
>
> >
> > >Is there any way to observe or measure a piano to determine whether its
> > >soundboard is compression-crowned or rib-crowned?
> > >
> > >Fascinating discussion!
> > >
> > >--Cy Shuster--
> >
> >
> > Not dependably, unfortunately. Compression crowned boards tend to have ribs
> > wider than they are tall, but that doesn't really tell you much. Even a
> > soundboard you know to have been built with crowned ribs can still be
> > primarily compression crowned and supported - like Baldwin. This is the
> > point I attempted to make with John Hartman that the dimensions and mass of
> > the parts aren't the sole determinants of where the stiffness comes from.
> > The assembly method is the part you can't see by looking at the finished
> > product.
> >
> > Ron N
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
> _______________________________________________
> pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives

--
Richard Brekne
RPT, N.P.T.F.
UiB, Bergen, Norway
mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no
http://home.broadpark.no/~rbrekne/ricmain.html
http://www.hf.uib.no/grieg/personer/cv_RB.html