No downbearing ?

[Erwinspiano@aol.com]

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In a message dated 1/1/2004 4:51:40 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com writes:
"...you'll only find a few with soundboards that were designed to have a 
crown..."

On what basis do you conclude that these old uprights have soundboards that 
were designed to not have crown?

Terry Farrell
----- 
     Terry
     I've rebuilt many old uprights in the last 33 years. There are two 
primary reasons I believe this. First if these pianos had soundboards that were 
built like other compression crowned systems you'd find a few that actually have 
some residual crown left in them as some older Stwys,Masons, etc., do. In 
cases where I have found residual crown I also find a great deal of compression 
set & cracks.  My guess is these pianos had perhaps some crown to start with but 
probably not much & I'm not sure that it mattered that much to them. After 
all the pianos did work fairly well and were sold.
     Second. My inspections of a thousand old uprights tells me that these 
pianos were probably mostly built with flat ribs on flat decks at who know what 
EMC.s Just run a bearing string across the back of every old upright you see 
this year and get back to me. Also, when I push on these board with the strings 
off they don't exhibit much stiffness except in the treble where the panel is 
thicker & ribs shorter & stiffer.
   The uprights that I've inspected & have found some crown in are typically 
Stwy uprights, a few rib crowned Knabes & A few reverse crowned uprights as 
well.
    Terry I didn't mean to make a blanket or seemingly unreasonable 
statement. This opinion is based on my experiences, observation & obviously a bit of 
conjecture.  I'd like to hear if any one disagrees or has a differing opinion. 
    Also keep in mind that here in Calif. we have a climate & also Bay area 
micro climates that have contributed to MANY well preserved soundboards/pianos 
that would defy believability to you all in the Mid western & eastern US This 
gives the techs out here the opportunity to see things that otherwise would 
have been destroyed long ago in Kansas or wherever. No offense Ron.
   Dale

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