<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1400" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Check the archives on "compression crowning vs. = rib crowning". There was a lengthy discussion of this topic a while back.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Basically, a compression crowned board = (at one extreme) is one where flat ribs are glued to a low-moisture-content = (4 or 5%) panel. When the soundboard is then allowed to equilibrate with = "normal" room humidity and temperature, the panel will absorb moisture from the air = and will want to expand. The ribs on the one side of the panel will not permit = that side of the panel to expand, but the other side of the panel will, and thus = the soundboard will develop crown as the panel moisture content = increases. Any loading that is applied to the soundboard (think string downbearing) = will be supported by the panel.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Well, at least for a while = anyway.......</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Maybe.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Terry Farrell</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV>Dale,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I've begun to notice and in your post below you mention = "compression crowned" boards. Could you tell me what that is and what is/are the alternative(s)? Thank!</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Clyde Allen</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>