Soundboard Removal

[Ric Brekne]

Joe / Calin

First, Calin... Joe is correct in saying that there are many American 
traditionalist... for not to say purists.  You just dont hear a lot from 
them here on pianotech... for reasons that I think need no explainations 
:) 

Second, to both of you :  I dont really see how anyone can be sure what 
the piano actually sounded like back then.  Ok...we can make all kinds 
of educated guesses, but beyond that.... ya never knows really.

Thirst... to Joe.  I can not really understand why you claim that using 
the origional panel would have meant the instrument would sound like 
crap.  One area where I agree completely with Delwin is that one can 
re-rib an old panel and achieve very nice results indeed.  I refer to a 
rather intense discussion on this list of about 5 years back where I 
first incured his wrath and made a great buddy in the person of Andre at 
the same time. 

Forth... just so we are all clear on my reasonings here...  I choose to 
use the old panel largely because I want to maintain as much of the 
origional material, how it looks... all the markings 180 years of time 
have put on it. New ribs will not detract much from that, and neither I 
believe will a new bridge made to origional design. This kind of a 
restoration will always force you to make such calls.  Ya gots to go 
with what seems best for yer'self eh ?

Cheers
RicB



Calin,
First I would have to take MAJOR exception with your comment, in your 
previous post, that Americans don't have respect for Tradition! Many do 
not, but a large percentage of Technicians, that I've met and talked 
with, DO! I for one have such "Respect". However, in this post you say 
it will sound like it did when it was built, ONLY if you use the 
original sound board. To that I say B.S.!
I just finished a complete Restoration of an 1867 Chickering, 8', flat 
strung Grand. If I had used the original board, it would have sounded 
like crap!!!