Ribs at Steak

[Antares]

>Andre,
Delwin D. Fandrich wrote:

>OK. I admit it -- I'm at a loss. Please tell me what you mean when you 
>say, "the ribs have been renewed...." The rest of it I know about, but 
>this is a new one for me.
>
>Thanks,
>
>-- ddf

André Oorebeek answers:

Well, I am surprised too because I thought that everybody on your side of the Ocean knows all about "new ribs".
But maybe I am a bit mistaken, maybe some of you think about "ribs" for dinner, and others might conclude that I had an unfortunate accident which caused me to renew my ribs.

(:> ))   !

Anyway...if we're talking about pianos, I will explain more precisely right now...
When I use the word ribs, I mean the ribbing of the soundboard.
I hope the confusion is settled now, it probably has to do with the tower of Babel anyway.....

So I have this old Bechstein in my posession and man!....is it old! 1896!

So this soundboard is flat, and I mean flat like a polder in good old Holland.
As we all know, we can lower the frame and thus give the instrument more downbearing, thereby creating a "false" crown.
I think that it is unwise to do this with such an old piano, the soundboard had withstood the pressure for more than 100 years, and the crown has not only diminished...it is gone completely!
So either you throw the piano into the canal around the corner (here in Amsterdam), or you do something with the old soundboard. We can replace it and we can put new ribs on the old board.
I choose for the old soundboard, because it is the soul of the piano, it gives the instrument its' specific character, and when we replace this character we do not accurately know what we get back instead.
Those who are masters in soundboards must agree...sometimes we get back a much more beautiful instrument, but once in a while we get what we call here "een zeeperd" and this is Amsterdam sleng for the occasional bummer.
Then....there is the fact that Bechstein has thinner and weaker soundboards than for instance Steinway, they are completely different, and in my humble (say what?) experience it is better to take such drastic measures with an older bechstein.
I have also experience with "new ribbing" of old Steinway grands, but I have come to the conclusion that it is probably better to either replace the complete soundboard or to leave the soundboard the way it was, because Steinways are 1. stronger and 2. Steinway has a special process of installing the soundboard.

Now...please do not think that I do all these things myself...
I don't for I can not do it myself, as I stated earlier in another post to the list I am trained and experienced in "the making of tone", which in its'self is more than difficult enough.
I make my moolah with regulation, tuning and voicing only.
But... fortunately, I happen to know some wood wizards, who are actually professional pianoforte builders. 
Making new ribs on an old soundboard is for some a piece of you know what, (and *you* should know what!) and they expertly made new ribs on many instruments, offered to my business for repair.
I have come to the conclusion that most of us are experts in their field, but possibly our field is sometimes more or less limited in size. 
Mine is very limited, and I definitely must fall back on the expertise of colleagues. It could be even better if more than one expert works on the same instrument, for obvious reasons.
On the other hand, we *must* take into consideration that there are supermen out there, who can do everything and anything more than expertly all by themselves, like Robinson Crusoës!

Now...time for a humble question:
I would like to know why it is better not to fool around with Steinway soundboards...
As far as I have understood, one should not take the board out because "it was glued into the rim under certain conditions (maybe pressure conditions?)
I have heard professionals say this in several factories, so there must be truth in this statement.

I would really appreciate it if someone would come forward with an answer.
After all, that is what this list is for..right?

In the coming days I must be away from my beloved home for some time, but when I am back I hope to find the mailbox filled to the brim with good and happy news!

Thank you all very much in advance!

PS.
I forgot to tell y'all that after having received these new ribs, my wonderful Bechstein has come back to life almost completely!
It has that power of a young instrument and yet that hard to describe quality of a truly soulful piano from the past, for which some pianists and some techs go on their bare knees 
(and me too)

PPS. 
I happen to be a vegetarian and I remember having "Veggie Ribs" in a special Bhuddist oriented vegetarian restaurant in Penang, Malaysia...it was great!
My wife had "Peking Duck", and they had made it so real, that she had trouble eating it (the fake meat made from gluten and tofu that is!)

(::>) !!!

Friendly greetings from :
          
CONCERT PIANO SERVICE
André Oorebeek
Amsterdam, the Netherlands
       
‰  where MUSIC is no harm can be  ‰