brash failure

[Cy Shuster]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <A440A at aol.com>
To: <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, August 18, 2006 3:20 PM
Subject: Re: brash failure


>      Then compare the flat-top Martin guitar of 1945 with a new one.  It 
> is
> a solid spruce panel, butt-jointed across a set of ribs, subjected to
> compression and tension.  There is nothing in the older spruce that 
> demonstrates
> deterioration. In fact, it seems, and the market among the real experts 
> supports,
> that the older wood has superior tonal qualities that the new wood does 
> not.

Is there a difference of scale (physical size) that would account for 
different experiences between old guitars and old soundboards?

Would the 1945 Martin still sound as good if its top were 3/8" thick, four 
feet by six feet, and had as much downforce on it as a D weighs?  That's a 
big change relative to the size of spruce wood cells.

--Cy--