Dolge on soundboard wood

[Delwin D Fandrich]

Stephen Birkett wrote:
> 
> [First a note to Del: I tried to send a reply to the off-list messages but
> keep getting "user unknown", even just hitting REPLY. Is there a problem
> with your email at the moment?]

As far as I know it's working. At least I've been getting messages from
others.  --ddf 

> Richard wrote:
> > So what is the right way of preparing soundboards from the right
> > wood?
> >
> I don't think there is a "right" way or a "right" wood. We may discover
> ways to improve existing designs as a result of trial and error,
> experiment, scientific analysis and/or computer modelling (dig...), but
> then we've changed the concept too. For historical pianos we have to try
> to reproduce what was done originally when making copies.

For me, it's still a matter of the wood's stiffness to weight ratio and
so far the best is Sitka spruce. As far as processing is concerned, I'm
not sure there are any real secrets. Our wood is kiln dried to about 7%
to 8% before we begin our own conditioning. We take it down to 6.0% to
6.5%. All of our processing is done at this EMC. But then, our ribs are
dimensioned and crowned accordingly. We do look for even color for a
pleasing appearance and uniform grain for a consistent stiffness and
weight. Competitive pressures dictate that we reject certain cosmetic
flaws that I doubt affect the tone performance of the soundboard in any
way.  --ddf

 
> > Was Dolge  then laughing all the way to the bank with the
> > revenues from his sb's? (His factories ran from circa 1870 to 1910)
> >
> I'm sorry I don't have the experience to know whether Dolge's soundbaords
> were as good as he claims, never having examined one even. I'm sure he
> knew what he was doing, but I think most of what he *wrote*, especially
> about pre-1850 pianos and practices, was hype and nonsense. Stein was no
> less guilty with his "hanging the board outside to season", which comes
> from a letter to Mozart. The best part of it is that Mozart, and 200
> years of "eminent" scholars, including many today, actually believed what he
> said was true!!

No, I don't think so. I think they truly believed. A close reading of
Piano Tone Building shows that the nature of the functioning soundboard
was poorly understood and much importance was placed on factors that by
now we should know better than to continue promoting and believing.
--ddf

Delwin D Fandrich