[pianotech] Tone building in the modern piano

[Tony Caught]

Hi Duaine,

You wrote I have used siccors.with a few snips

"I completely and whole heartedly concur. Several years ago, I wanted a
newer player piano - after having an antique one, that then I knew very
little about and was getting too many leaks to pump.

I hated the way it sounded and sounded NOTHING like the antique one.

- The soundboard is most likely made of different wood.

http://www.pianobuilders.com/soundboards.html

- The plate is most likely not the same chemical makeup of iron. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cast_iron

Iron <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron> (Fe) accounts for more than 95%
by weight (wt% <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wt%25>) of the alloy
material, while the main alloying elements are carbon
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon> (C) and silicon
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicon> (Si).

- The strings - mine still has all its original steel strings - not
copper - again, the steel is probably not the same chemical makeup.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_wire

So, now to answer you question, you most likely are going to have to
checkout the kind of wood for the soundboard, the chemical makeup of the
plate and the chemical makeup of the steel strings."

Possibly we could stiffen the soundboard in the treble or add some weights
to the upper ribs. Voice the hammers, use thinner strings. Sure if you make
a new piano you can overcome the manufactured problems but I would just like
to make some of these pianos more pleasurable to listen to.

Tony

Tony Caught
acaught at internode.on.net