Fw: Reverse Crown Soundboard

[Erwinpiano]

  Del

     Last year my Dad and I sold a 1926 Bauer 6ft. grand in mint condition.
I replaced split caps and at first thought I had a serious problem with the
board as it was extremely dished. In fact it would have made a nice salad
bowl!  It had ribs on only one side however. The piano sings  and sings. It
did have positive bearing before I capped it but not excessive.  It had one
hair line crack bout 3 inches long right near the tail of the tenor bridge
which I shimmed for cosmetic reasons.  It had a rare white oak case that was
gorgeous and built like a tank. Matching bench too.

 One of our venerable old tuners ( Clarence (Pop) Smith) owned the piano for
years and years.

   DALE ERWIN



----- Original Message -----
From: "Delwin D Fandrich" <pianobuilders@olynet.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, June 29, 2001 9:08 PM
Subject: Re: Reverse Crown Soundboard


>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Erwinpiano" <Erwinpiano@email.msn.com>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: June 29, 2001 7:02 AM
> Subject: Fw: Reverse Crown Soundboard
>
>
> >   Hi Terry
> >
> >    I have seen this quite a few times.  Julius Bauer, Becker bros.
Emerson
> > and others did use this design.  When you stumble on to this your first
> > thought is that the board went south and then you realize that it's to
> > intentional especially when you put a string across it and see a very
> > deliberate curve  You know every one says it's a bad design but each one
I
> > have rebuilt has had incredible sustain and power. In fact the sustain
is
> > better than most conventional boards. In spite of the wood being in
> > tension(positive bearing but reverse crown) only one board had a narrow
4
> > inch crack that was easily shimmed.
> -----------------------------------------------------------
>
> Are you sure about that Julius Bauer? I've seen a lot of strange and
> wonderful things on a Bauer, but never reverse crown. With his duplex rib
> system working away I've also never seen one with anything coming even
close
> to a flattened board. Another idea whose time has long since come...
>
> Del
>
>