----- Original Message ----- From: "Kristinn Leifsson" <istuner@islandia.is> To: <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: November 05, 2000 2:03 PM Subject: Re: RIPPEN soundboards > I believe that the Fandrich piano (made by the "Fabulous Fandrich > brothers") has the same sound board principle (correct me if Iīm wrong, Del). Actually, Darrell, my brother, had to do with developing the action, patenting it, etc., but was not involved with building the piano. Yes, we used a soundboard that was free-floating along the bass edge. It was made of solid Sitka spruce, however. It also had positive crown and we spent a good deal of effort on the way we terminated the lower edge of the soundboard. We use the term 'free-floating' but that is not exactly accurate. The floating edge is still terminated, it is just not fastened directly to the rim or back assembly. It is still necessary to work out the stiffness and mass parameters through the region to bring the soundboard's mechanical impedance within an appropriate range to get the type of sound you are after. > > > > As for one point and two points, I donīt get your point... ( -- Those points being -- ) > >In my opinion the sound of the bass is indeed a deep, GRR tone, but it's not > >clear. The vibration is not marked with an end. A clear note has a vibration > >between 2 solid points, the Rippen note has a vibration between 1 solid and > >1 moving point. It sounds a bit misty. CAPICE? > > > >Rudyard, Rotterdam, Holland There are a variety of reasons why the Rippen had the bass sound that it had. The stringing scales were not exactly inspired, the length of the backscale could have been longer, the design of the soundboard -- including the ribbing, the negative crown and the way the lower side of the board was terminated -- all could have been improved. There is no reason why the free-floating soundboard concept by itself should cause an indistinct, or un-clear, sound. Quite the opposite. It was one of the reasons we were able to get such a clear and distinct low bass on our upright using a relatively short speaking length. Regards, Del
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