Killer Octave CC & CC&R

[RicB]

Grin.

Andrew you open a bucket of worms to be sure.  If you want to know my 
experience... its that if the Steinways I've run into... like just about 
any other CC boarded piano are kept at reasonable RH levels... they 
never develop a killer octave worth commenting on.  Flame suit on big 
time.  As to whether or not the ribs are actually underdimensioned and 
there is not enough support from the belly rail....  This kind of 
depends on your perspective.  From an engineering standpoint there seems 
to be quite a bit of consensus (at least on pianotech) that there is 
indeed a problem.  I think its important however to remember that there 
are many many pianos built this way that have held up just dandy over 
many years.  Sauters, like Steingræbers, like Seiler, like Steinway, 
like Bechstein, like Yamaha, like etc etc etc  all use this method in 
one form or another.  Most use curved ribs... some dry out the wood a 
bit more then others before ribbing... but in the end  they all use what 
must be termed CC boards. 

I think you can expect the Sauter to age similiarilly.  If you give it a 
good home the panel will get gradually flatter and the sound will mellow 
and loose a bit of that nice bloom... but still maintain a nice voice.  
If you dont... it probably will sound like mud in 15 years or so.

Cheers
RicB


    Ric,
    We've been enjoying a Sauter here.  I hadn't looked into soundboard
    construction methodology.  Would your description coincide with
    Compression Crowned and Rib supported--CC&R?
    It has been my understanding that the loss of sustain in the fifth
    and sixth octaves of Steinway pianos (New York I haven't worked with
    Hamburg) is due to inadequate support of the belly-rail (secondary)
    and inadequate rib support of the soundboard/bridge assembly in that
    particular area (primary) of the piano.  Does that coincide with your
    experience?  I haven't encountered and old Sauter yet to see how
    gracefully it ages...

    Andrew Anderson