J. Delacour Piano

[John Delacour]

At 1:38 pm -0500 15/9/06, Ron Nossaman wrote:

>I know that sound. I don't think that's either hard hammers or MP3 
>compression artifact. It sounds to me like an efficient soundboard, 
>which most people have never heard.
>
>Good job John. I'm glad someone has finally taken the space, time, 
>and expense to try this. Careful with the bass on the bigger piano.

Thanks for the kudos, Ron.  I am impatient to get on with the larger 
piano but, since my new workshops will not be ready till the spring, 
it's unlikely I'll have much to report before early summer.  There I 
shall have 1,400 square feet to play in and for the first time in my 
career will have room to move.  Oh joy!

With the experience of the small grand behind me, my intuition tells 
me there will not be a problem with the bass.  I presume you are 
thinking it might be overpowering.  We shall see.  On the Gšrs & 
Kallmann, purely to save work, I dispensed with the "dumb triangle" 
at the bass front corner.  Owing to the nature of the soundboard I 
doubt if this has made much difference.  One day I might try dumbing 
it off to see what difference it makes.  The big piano will have the 
dumb corner.

And with that I cease all discussion of my soundboard for the present.

On the question bridge seating, I took some measurements of the two 
Kirkmans that are to be the subject of the next development and am 
delighted to discover that the line of the top of the bridge is (from 
original) precisely as I would have it, and as I advocated in recent 
postings.  That is to say that a straight edge laid on the bridge, 
unstrung, just touches the hitch-plate bearing and makes a good 
positive angle with the line of the speaking length.  Of all the 
pianos I have in the shop these are the only two that are ideal in 
this respect.

JD