[pianotech] NW Woods #2 soundboard panel

[David Love]

I think I typed this wrong in the subject line, it should be a #2 board,
which I've now corrected, but here's what I'm after.  A B sized #2 board,
for example, costs less than 1/3 the price of a #1 board ($200 versus $650).
Significant enough to wonder about.  They don't promise matching color (not
the end of the world), they may be a mixture various grains per inch (not a
big deal if you're not compression crowning which I'm not), they may have a
couple of bark or sap marks (easy to repair and blend) but otherwise a claim
of no tonal drop off, i.e. only cosmetic differences.  So I'm wondering if
anyone has used one to be able to comment on that aspect.  Over 10 boards
that becomes a significant difference in cost.  I see some old Steinway
panels that aren't necessarily that well color or grain matched and it
doesn't seem to be an issue.  So if no one has actually used one, what are
the possible concerns in terms of tonal output?

David Love
www.davidlovepianos.com

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Ron Nossaman
Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 2009 8:15 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] NW Woods #3 soundboard panel

erwinspiano at aol.com wrote:
> Privately
>   Dale

Then why the hell didn't you reply privately to David in the 
first place? There are others who'd like to hear the assessment.
Ron N