[pianotech] Board: trash or keep protocol

[David Andersen]

1. Pluck strings in all sections of the piano; listen to bloom and  
sustain appropriate to each section. If it sounds good---if there's a  
definite increase in sound pressure and amplitude, a "bloom," within a  
second or so of the pluck in the tenor and treble (it takes longer  
after the pluck for the bloom to appear lower down in the piano) and  
then almost a coupling or strengthening of the fundamental tone and  
the first two partials as the tone decays---it is good. If not, and if  
there's any question or less than strong feeling, we replace the board.
2. Measure bearing across bridges (if necessary.)
3. Determine crown through the various methods talked about here ad  
infinitum (if necessary.)

The ears (and the bod they're attached to) are the first and the final  
arbiters of everything to do with pianos.
DA

On Apr 6, 2009, at 4:15 PM, Alexander Lass wrote:

> Would any experienced rebuilders care to comment on what their  
> various criteria are on deciding whether to do a full soundboard  
> replacement?  I'm curious in particular which factors are deal  
> breakers.  There seems to be a lot of discussion as of late.
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Alex
>