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<DIV>List,</DIV>
<DIV> I would like to start a thread about
soundboards. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> Many technicians replace soundboards, when the
soundboard is 'dead'. Is it because the wood is 'dead' and =
will no
longer amplify the sound, or is it because of other factors such as
the board losing its crown, etc? </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> Where I'm going with this is that I find it =
interesting
that piano technicians are changing soundboards regularly, if that is =
their area
of specialty. Contrarily, violinists seem to be wanting =
older
instruments because wood sounds better over time. If the wood =
sounded that
much better over time, and a soundboard was still intact, wouldn't =
people
be begging for the old klunker pianos and rebuilding them as opposed to
replacing the soundboards? These two ideas are seemingly
contrary. In saying this, I do acknowledge that pianos are far =
more
mechanical than violins and I realize that there are other factors in a =
piano
such as worn out actions, pin blocks, split boards, hammers, =
dampers,
separated ribs and the like. I also acknowledge that some older =
pianos
were never great piano, even in their day, and will never be made =
to play
like a quality vintage piano. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> My point is to determine if these soundboards =
really
need to be replaced? If they do, is it because the wood has gone =
dead over
time, or because of external factors such as splitting or separation =
have forced
it to need replacement, were the wood in the board itself may still be
good? I don't hear violinists replacing tops because they =
have become
dead. They seem to be wantign them older and older. Am I =
missing
something? </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> I would welcome any viewpoints on the subject,
especially from those who replace boards.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>thanks</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Ron Shiflet</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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