<HTML>In a message dated 1/18/2002 2:32:40 AM Pacific Standard Time, JD@Pianomaker.co.uk writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px"> experiment) Date:1/18/2002 2:32:40 AM Pacific Standard Time From:<A HREF="mailto:JD@Pianomaker.co.uk">JD@Pianomaker.co.uk</A> Reply-to:<A HREF="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> To:<A HREF="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A>     </BLOCKQUOTE>   Jd writes   You were extremely vague yesterday when I <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">asked the question about Sitka spruce, and now you are talking about formulas and constants.  Ron Overs answered the question briefly but did not extend his answer to say that for the good reasons he gave, sound propagates faster along the grain in soundboard wood than in any other wood.  In Douglas Fir it might travel at only 4900 metres per second.</BLOCKQUOTE>       JD-------------This may be considered just as vague as Ron Os answer conerning sitka spruce but here is what I know. Having used many different species of spruce I must confess that I have enjoyed the sounds od Sitka spruce the most. The clarity and WOW what sustain and power.  Of the many american Steinways I've heard I really like the ones from the late 60s and 70s  because of there amazing sustain qualitys. The actions were trash then but the guys were making excellent boards.   I  sold a stwy B from 1971 to a concert pianist. She had looked all over the S.F. bay area for Bs and ended up with this one. She said nothing Ishe played even came close to this one. Apparently she'd been looking for some time. The college has some Ls from  the same era with the same sound.       I put a sitka board in stwy A last year and the sustain in the killer octave ( and every where) was forever. I've never heard one better.    Please I'm not tootin my own horn but I do get exited when I hear sound like that.    On another subject I have heard some German O' only a couple of years old that were to die for. Oh my oh my.  They sounded so refined and bigger than there physical size belied.    Are they using the same magic lumber you described earlier and are they curing wood differently Or what  Please tell  enlighten me.      Best ---Dale </HTML>