<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1476" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV>"I guess there is a real musical reason to select very old spruce = instead of the same spruce used in the pianos that are being built now"</DIV> <DIV>Two reasons come to mind: 1. The annualar rings are much tighter. = 2. The wood is definately "cured", so that there would be less propensity for expansion/contraction, hence more stable.</DIV> <DIV>A third comes to mind: The older wood would enhance the higher = partials. We all know how musicians, (who are troubled by hearing problems and have = never heard what a real piano sounds like....(don't get me started on this subject!!!), prefer the more "crystaline" sound!</DIV> <DIV>Best Regards,</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Joe Garrett, R.P.T.<BR>Captain, Tool Police<BR>Squares R I</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>