<!doctype html public "-//w3c//dtd html 4.0 transitional//en"> <html> <body text="#000000" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" link="#0000EE" vlink="#551A8B" alink="#FF0000">   Delwin D Fandrich wrote:   <blockquote TYPE=CITE>Richard Brekne wrote:   > When I am restringing after a soundboard fix, I routinely use the same scale, and > try to achieve the same, or slightly less downbearing. I do this simply because I do > not feel confident in changing things without knowing more then I do about these > issues. As far as lessening downbearing (gut feeling really), seems like an old > soundboard must be weaker, ergo less stiff / resiliant. Doing this combined with > very slow and even tension raising to bring the piano up to pitch (typically one > month) seems to be my best guarantee of not wrecking the sound of a piano. This is, by far, the safest way.  And it is the method I strongly recommend to all who do not wish to study and understand the basics of piano function and design.  Even without replacing the soundboard the results will usually be an improvement.  The piano will be tunable and the new strings will probably sound better than the aged originals.</blockquote> Well, its nice to hear that I am not totally bonkers about this. But I would re-phrase your recommendation to say "those who do not wish or havent yet had the opportunity to study and understand......" I fall into the latter catagory. <blockquote TYPE=CITE>Despite all of the work invested, the soundboard will not really have any more crown than it had before the rebuilding work began, but the cracks will be filled and it will look better.  (Unless the ribs are replaced, which is a whole other story.) It will probably still have tone problems in the bass/tenor crossover, but they won't be worse than they were before.  The treble should be a bit better, but the "killer octave" will still be a problem. If not immediately after the rebuilding, then fairly soon after.  Well, you get the idea. Yes, many improvements will be made through the rebuilding process, but the results will not be quite as good as they could have been with careful and intelligently applied redesign principles.</blockquote> This is exactly the point I try to make over here. It seems obvious that if one does not have this deeper understanding of piano design, the least one can do is admit it, and insure that what you do fix doesnt screw up other things that were at least satisfactory at the outset. I am really suprised tho at the apparent lack of interest for these things. Even tho one does not wish to become an active redesigner / rebuilder, the insights gained by a thorough understanding of design principles would seem an obvious major asset in areas most techs deal with daily. Knowing what you can do, and what you cannot, knowing when to refer a customer to a rebuilder and whom to refer them too and why. For my own part, any basics you can relate about all this is of great interest and warmly welcomed. <blockquote TYPE=CITE>  Regards, Del</blockquote> Richard Brekne I.C.P.T.G.   N.P.T.F </body> </html>