This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment Hi all, OK, there's something about my piano (1933 Wissner 9') that seems odd = (in my limited experience), and I've just got to ask. My soundboard = ribs have an unusual structure (I think), and I'm uncertain as to the = purpose. Most of the ribs are "tied" together with one of two small = cross-braces. Counting from the keyboard, high treble end of the = soundboard, the first brace starts around the center, keyboard-end of = the soundboard at rib 8 and continues leftward and towards the tail = through rib 13. Then from the other end of rib 13 (right side of the = piano), another brace starts and extends towards rib 17 in the tail. = Ribs 1-7 and rib 18 have no cross-braces. Here are some photos: www.wonderfulhome.info/soundboard1.jpg www.wonderfulhome.info/soundboard1.jpg www.wonderfulhome.info/soundboard1.jpg The ribs on the cross-brace end are not smoothly tapered the way I think = of most ribs being. Rather, they are reduced in tiers, and the = cross-braces run across the tiers. The rib ends without cross-bracing = are tapered in the conventional manner. So... Why was this done? Was it a way of stiffening the soundboard? = Was it a way of bracing the crown, which is quite a lovely one. The = bass on this piano is incredibly rich, powerful, and mellow, and the = sustain is unbelievable. =20 The age of the soundboard? My guess is that it was the original one. = It is in uncommonly good condition for a 70 yr old soundboard (no = significant cracks, high crown), but nothing about the remainder of the = piano suggests the soundboard might have been replaced. The screws = holding on the cross-braces, by the way, are quite dark -- a bit too = dark for 1971 vintage -- probably oxidized since 1933. The action was = apparently replaced in 1971. I suspect the bass strings were replaced = at that time as well. But the remaining strings were probably left in = place, as about half of them appear to be original. I think the = pinblock is original -- still holds a tune, no cracks, but with a few = marginally loose pins. The more recent string replacements, other than = the bass, were done incompetently, probably not by the same person who = did the action (which was well done). Anyway, the overall condition of = the piano suggests the 1971 job was not a complete rebuild, by a long = shot. I'm thinking that the soundboard cross-braces were probably of = Otto Wissner's doing. Has anyone else done this? If so, why? Oh, Terry... Do you remember bracing such as this on that church's 9' = Wissner? I think you said it's all original and of similar vintage.=20 Thanks, everyone. Peace, Sarah =20 ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/d1/d5/dc/10/attachment.htm ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--
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