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<P>Mike Swendsen wrote:
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE> <FONT SIZE=-1>Del:</FONT><FONT SIZE=-1>About
7 or 8 years ago I played a wonderful guitar that had a carbon graphite
top. The tone was powerful and warm. Really a delight to listen
to and to play. I often thought since then that it would probably
be quite possible to build soundboard including bridges and ribs out of
carbon graphite/boron graphite etc.. ( some new composite material)
Everything could be built-up or cast as necessary or as designed, I'm sure
there a re fewer construction restrictions with the new materials than
with spruce. And it would be absolutely water/humidity resistant.
( No seasonal tuning changes due to humidity changes)</FONT><FONT SIZE=-1>If
it could be made to sound as good as that guitar sounded, who knows?</FONT>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 solid 2px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px"><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE=-1>C.
Mike Swendsen RPT</FONT></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE>
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<P>Mike,
<P>There are several materials available today that would probably make
good piano soundboards. Take a look at the patent files. I've worked with
only a couple of them, and those only enough to probably be dangerous.
That is to say, I'm not ready to give up on Sitka spruce quite yet.
<P>There are a number of problems facing the brave soul who first tries
to market a piano with a composite -- or whatever -- soundboard. Most of
those problems will have to do with convincing the technical community
that they will really work. No matter that this board may appear in the
best sounding piano the world has ever seen.
<P>Del
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