Hello list, I just finished looking at an old upright for a friend and decided to try to get some answers to this question: At what point do old pianos become dangerous? I seem to remember hearing that the structure of a piano could become compromised to such an extent that it could actually "blow up" under the weight of the string tension. What can one look for to determine if old pianos are structurally sound? This upright had a huge break in the sound board. The crack extended at a 45 degree angle the entire range of the sound board and was over 1/2 inch wide at the most. I am not sure what role the sound board plays in the stability of the structure of the piano, but would love to hear your ideas. I appreciate all your wisdom...thanks in advance.
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