Maybe one thing being overlooked here is that, while panel stiffness is increased by applying downbearing, the panel has a significant amount of stiffness even with no compression at all. Even before it's ribbed, the panel has stiffness. I don't know how the numbers would actually work out in a working soundboard, but perhaps its not inconceivable that a CC board could end up with similar stiffness as a RC&S board - by varying panel thickness or whatever - maybe it's just that stiffness is achieved in part by different means (and that may only be a small percentage of total stiffness). If what I am suggesting holds any water at all, it may be then that the two systems might not necessarily produce greatly divergent tonal qualities. Terry Farrell > If I may try to answer my own question having read back through this > thread. The stiffness of the panel is produced by applying whatever > downbearing is required to achieve it. The difference being that the > ribs take the stress of supporting the bearing over time rather than the > panel and therefore the stiffness of the panel is likely to hold up for > longer avoiding the inevitable compression set if the panel were > supporting the bearing alone. SNIP > > David Love > davidlovepianos@comcast.net
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC