FULL rebuilding evolution/uprights

[Ron Nossaman]

>Among other things, Bolduc encourages new pinblock
>for the sake of Tone! How... I said..really??. The
>stiffest part of an upright is the pinblock, its
>spine, to which we have spacers, posts, reflectors
>glued together. If these glue joints are even just
>weak, the soundboard leaks its energy more, relextive
>characteristics around the rim go down. Even a good
>looking board with a weak glue joint is suffering. If
>the pinbock is moving forward in the least, perhaps we
>are loosing crown. Having this apart allows us to
>really restore the stiffness of the frame, and allow
>the piano to be all its design meant it to be.....
>Sold me.

That's also taking the entire back assembly apart and making the other 70%
of the liner nice and solid too by re gluing all of those weak joints,
right? The posts and spacer block joints have got to be as loose or looser
at the bottom as at the top. And if it were the "weak" but holding glue
joints making such a big difference, couldn't you more easily and cheaply
break everything apart (including removing the soundboard ribs) and re-glue
everything without having to replace the board at all? Sort of a glue
transplant? I am also curious how a detached pinblock can affect soundboard
crown. That's a new one on me.


>  He began doing upright pinblocks before soundboards.
>He says he was surprised at the consistent change of
>tone on projects from replacing upright blocks.

Is that re-using the old strings? Seems like it would be a tad difficult to
separate tone improvement from new strings alone, and any additional
improvement from a new block. I'm wondering how that determination was
arrived at.



>Interesting....I'm rethinking what I do.
>
> About $875 for the new board. How much to glue, shim,
>refinish a board....hmmm...... has me thinking

Better add removal time, crating, freight, installation, bearing setting,
and bridge drilling and notching to that $875 while you're thinking. It
might make a difference.


Ron N