Killer Octave

[Richard Brekne]

Sorry to intrude on a thread I have casually followed...but I just wanted to
share this thought..

Tom Servinsky wrote:

> I couldn't get a wedge to help matters due to no brace in the area. I ended
> up, as a last ditch effort, configuring a connecting brace where I could at
> least get a
> wedge secured and the distortion was eliminated. However, as one knows,
> wedging the soundboard to the brace also has gross limiting factors as it
> stifles the ability of the soundboard to do it's thing. Then I started
> horsing around with the idea of a spring to (at least) apply upwards
> pressure to help alleviate the problem.

I have been thinking about this whole idea of using springs for this kind of
thing... artificial crown if you will... We've had it up several times for
discussion and a couple methods have been sketched out. But what about useing
some kind of leaf spring approach ? I can kind of picture strong leaf springs
between beams right under and exerting uwards pressure on ribs. Would these be
able to supply enough upwards force, and would they perhaps have less
detrimental effects on the soundboards ability to move then other spring types
might ?

> So I guess the bigger picture is soundboards can have an inherent weak spot
> due to (either) weakness in wood strength, design, or just age, even though
> the bearing and crown under pressure appear to be in good standing.
> Could the idea of the spring, as taboo as it sounds, help alleviate problems
> such as these?

I suspect personally that given the all to often alternative of doing nothing or
junking an instrument that some solution along these lines might bring some life
/ significant improvement for some years in the kind of situation you describe.

--
Richard Brekne
RPT, N.P.T.F.
Bergen, Norway
mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no