<HTML><HEAD> <META charset=UTF-8 http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charse= t=utf-8"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2730.1700" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fffff= f"> <DIV> <DIV>In a message dated 12/1/2003 5:46:44 PM Pacific Standard Time, pianos@h= artmanstudios.net writes:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue = 2px solid"><FONT face=Arial>This is about 2/3rds to 1/2 of what I would co= nsider optimum rib crown <BR>for this pianos. So at least in this case a pan= el crowned soundboard has <BR>survived a few years after leaving the factory= .<BR>-- <BR>John Hartman RPT</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040>    =   <FONT size=3><STRONG>Hey John</STRONG></FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040 size=3><STRONG>  = A very good pictoral demonstration of what effects the bridge is having.&nbs= p;I don't see any signs of cracks in the pictures. </STRONG></FONT><FONT fac= e="Times New Roman" color=#000040 size=3><STRONG>Why was this board to= rn down? It had fairly healthy residual crown for a board for an&n= bsp; East coast piano of this vintage. Was the tone suffering or did th= e client simply want to start with a fresh board & every thing else&= optimum tonal performance? This is the first S&S board I've seen with a= ny crown left after it was seperated from the case</STRONG></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040 size=3><STRONG> &= nbsp;  I also have an 1960 L ( calif. Piano) in the shop with very heal= thy crown as well & it sounds great. It has about a 45 ft' crowm in the = shorter ribs about 60 to 70 ft. in the longer ones. Strings, finish & ac= tion work. Easy rebuilding.</STRONG></FONT></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040 size=3>  = Thanks--Dale</FONT></STRONG></DIV></BODY></HTML>