<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16587" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY id=role_body style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Arial" bottomMargin=7 leftMargin=7 topMargin=7 rightMargin=7><FONT id=role_document face=Arial color=#000000 size=2> <DIV> <DIV>   <STRONG>  <EM>JD</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><EM><STRONG>  My friend....I know you know this already but When appropriate & significant levels of crown exist in the soundboard structure it becomes  a springy & compressable diaphragm & when  appropriate & significant amounts of downbearing are applied on that springy compressible structure the structure moves more air & the range of power,sustain & tone color are greatly enhanced.   This is why it's down this way in the American system</STRONG></EM></DIV> <DIV><EM><STRONG>    Yes some systems work well with out much of either and it's simply by virtue of there mass & stiffness but by in large most systems I'm familiar with work more efficiently when set up with significant amounts of crown/bearing & we like it that way. </STRONG></EM></DIV> <DIV><EM><STRONG>   When C.C. boards go flat here in the States there are weaknesses in the scale especially in the 6 th octave & when really bad, the 4 octave as well. Flat boards, in my experience, demonstrate short choppy sustain especially in the melody range & the complaints begin. </STRONG></EM></DIV> <DIV><EM><STRONG> Steinway, Mason & Hamlin, Baldwin, & many many other makers produce there finest & most famous tone using this model outlined above.</STRONG></EM></DIV> <DIV><EM><STRONG>  I suspect that pianos are made differently for the European palate or your expectations of tone & power are entirely different. Viva la difference</STRONG></EM></DIV> <DIV><EM><STRONG>  Many of us on this list as you know have been working with newer designs to prolong tonal capabilities, soundboard longevity & create new tonal envelopes without the destruction of wood cells produced by over drying panels before the ribs are glued on. (C.C. Methods) Apparently you all have figured that out how to defeat that years ago so boards never need changing in Europe or your idea of what consitutes</STRONG><FONT size=4> fine</FONT> <STRONG>has a different definition than we have here.</STRONG></EM></DIV> <DIV><EM><STRONG>  SO  by Yankee definition & by the lack of tone we see in a flat boards & the improvements we can create building new R.C. boards & R.C. & supported boards, there is an entire world of tone that is waiting to be discovered by the World at large. I didn't take some else's word for this but I've tried these things for myself and many of the protocols shared openly & genrously on this list have shown to create sounds I personally like. <BR>   Perhaps it's our climate with high hot summer humidity in the east/midwest that thrashes these C.C boards to an early grave & then the 0 humidity in the winters with the heat on.  Wood just doesn't seem to take kindly to all that here.</STRONG></EM></DIV> <DIV><EM><STRONG>  Please ....Come to Anaheim June 18 th 2008  to the PTG National Convention & Rebuilders Gallery & sample some of those flavors. You won't be disappointed & I would enjoy showing you around.</STRONG></EM></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM> Respectfully Submitted</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  Dale Erwin</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>  <STRONG>Well, where you are you seem to replace soundboards as though they<BR>    were sparking-plugs.  Quite why I can't tell.</STRONG>  A soundboard over here<BR>    is most unlikely to be replaced even after 100 years and most of them<BR>    <STRONG>are fine</STRONG> after 100 years if the pianos have any worth.<BR><BR>    <STRONG>JD</STRONG></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV></FONT><BR><BR><BR><DIV><FONT style="color: black; font: normal 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF;"><HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px">Start the year off right. <A title="http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489" href="http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489" target="_blank">Easy ways to stay in shape</A> in the new year. </FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>