<!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 6.00.2800.1400" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hello Jean Jacques.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I can not claim that I have experience, = but I can claim that I have an old Bechstein (model IV, 1870) which has the = smaller part of the soundboard not being glued to the rim, if this is what one could = call floating.  The board is finished at that side by a rib parallel to = the rim.  Interesting feature : the ribs are not parallel, but in a = kind of star shape : the longest rib at the bass side being closer to parallel = to the long side of the case than in other arrangements (I suppose to favor = better flexibility to the bass notes).</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I can tell you that the instrument had = incredible bass (much fundamental even in the lower notes).  About the = trebble, I couldn't say : the board was flat and showing negative bearing, and the = hammers were well, old, you know ...</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I join a pic of this soundboard.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Regards,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Stéphane Collin.</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=jjgranas@zigzag.pl = href="mailto:jjgranas@zigzag.pl">Jean-Jacques Granas</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, March 17, 2004 = 3:23 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Floating = soundboards</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hello list,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I am slowly getting ready to restore = an old (1896 as it turns out) Bluthner 6'3'' grand. </FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I will most probably float the = soundboard in the deep base. I won't need to glue new ribs and there are none in the far = corner that would interfere. I will probably also replace the board (and = ribs) as it has collapsed and I am wondering just how long should this float = (cut/rip) should be. What are the criteria involved in deciding on the length of = the cut? How do factors such as thickness of the board, distance of bass = bridge to rim come into play here?</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Another question I have been = wondering about is whether anyone has ever floated the soundboard at the high treble end, = along the short side, perpendicularly to the end of the bridge. What are the = likely results of such an experiment. Btw the treble end float idea is just theoretical curiosity.</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Can someone with experience in this = matter share a few thoughts ?</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Thanks,</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Peace,</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Jean-Jacques Granas</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Warsaw, Poland</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial = size=2></FONT> </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>