There's more than one way to control soundboard flexibility around its perimeter than by panel tapering. Most soundboards I build are 8mm uniform thickness - no tapering, and IMHO these soundboards are very responsive. Rib tapering can be used to control soundboard flexibility at the edges. And when you think about it - why on earth would you taper bass half (just not considering the treble) of a soundboard panel more-or-less evenly around the perimeter? Sounds logical, but have you ever played around with an unribbed panel? They are quite stiff along the grain, but like a wet noodle cross grain. Meaning that tapering a panel where the grain is running roughly perpendicular to the edge will indeed increase flexibility - but areas where the panel grain is running roughly parallel to the panel edge already has an extremely flexible panel. It doesn't make any sense to me to taper anywhere near evenly around the perimeter. It would seem to me that if you want to try to control soundboard flexibility by tapering the panel, you would taper the panel at the bass end where the panel grain is roughly perpendicular to the panel edge - and even then I'll bet you'd have to cut most of the way through the panel to get that area as flexible and the untapered areas where grain runs parallel to the edge. Terry Farrell ----- Original Message ----- SNIP > Bechstein > soundboards are 8 mm thick all way around, and not tapered, can maybe > explain that feeling that I have that Bechstein pre war pianos seem to be > a > bit less responsive than, say, Steinway pianos, with their tapered and not > clamped diaphragmatic boards. SNIP > > Stéphane Collin.
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC