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<DIV>In a message dated 1/1/2004 4:51:40 AM Pacific Standard Time, mfarrel2@=
tampabay.rr.com writes:</DIV>
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<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial color=#000040 size=2>"...you'll only fin=
d a few with soundboards that were designed to have a crown..."</FONT></STRO=
NG></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>On what basis do you conclude that these ol=
d uprights have soundboards that were <EM>designed</EM> to not have cro=
wn?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Terry Farrell</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040> =
<FONT size=4>Terry</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040 size=4> &nb=
sp; I've rebuilt many old uprights in the last 33 years. There are two=
primary reasons I believe this. First if these pianos had soundboards that =
were built like other compression crowned systems you'd find a few that actu=
ally have some residual crown left in them as some older Stwys,Masons, etc.,=
do. In cases where I have found residual crown I also f=
ind a great deal of compression set & cracks. My guess is these pi=
anos had perhaps some crown to start with but probably not much & I'm no=
t sure that it mattered that much to them. After all the pianos did work fai=
rly well and were sold.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040 size=4> &nb=
sp; Second. My inspections of a thousand old uprights tells me that th=
ese pianos were probably mostly built with flat ribs on flat decks at who kn=
ow what EMC.s Just run a bearing string across the back of every old upright=
you see this year and get back to me. Also, when I push on these board=
with the strings off they don't exhibit much stiffness except in =
the treble where the panel is thicker & ribs shorter & stiffer.</FON=
T></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040 size=4> Th=
e uprights that I've inspected & have found some crown in are typically =
Stwy uprights, a few rib crowned Knabes & A few reverse crowned upr=
ights as well.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040 size=4> &nb=
sp; Terry I didn't mean to make a blanket or seemingly unreasonable statemen=
t. This opinion is based on my experiences, observation & obviously=
a bit of conjecture. I'd like to hear if any one disagrees or has a d=
iffering opinion. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040 size=4> &nb=
sp; Also keep in mind that here in Calif. we have a climate & also Bay a=
rea micro climates that have contributed to MANY well preserv=
ed soundboards/pianos that would defy believability to you all in the Mid we=
stern & eastern US This gives the techs out here the opportunity to=
see things that otherwise would have been destroyed long ago in Kansas or w=
herever. No offense Ron.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040 size=4> Da=
le</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>