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<BR><BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Phil Ford writes
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<BR>> If what you want is the entire soundboard moving up
<BR>> and down as a diaphragm it seems to me that having
<BR>> this hinged edge attachment might come closer to
<BR>> giving that than a clamped edge arrangement.
<BR>> Actually building something workable might be
<BR>> difficult.
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<BR>And we must avoid difficulties at all cost!
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<BR>As time goes on I find myself coming closer and closer to the notion of a
<BR>hinged-edge diaphragm configuration. Our soundboards are functionally very
<BR>near that now. And my new 200 cm grand design is even closer.
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<BR>Del
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<BR></FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"> Del, Phil and all
<BR> This may not be completely irrelevant but since we are taliking hinged sdboard systems. I recently saw a Charles Fredrick Stein built in Chicago in the golden years. This piano was 6ft. 3 ish and beautifully rebuilt and refinished by Bob And Marcia Davis of Stockton Ca.
<BR> The Original belly system was a clamped edge system only on the belly rail and near the first highest rib on the curve as I recall. The rest of the system consisted of the ribs glued on top of the inner rim ( not morticed in as usual) with the board glued to n the ribs as usual but not to the rim. Basically a free edge more or less. Dumfounded was I at the rich sining tone and broad dynamics. It made me think of your (Dels) description of tonal range/dynamics in the pp area and the power generated by a strong fundamental in the forte ranges. No clang and bang just wonderful musical power and sustain.
<BR> (Bob/Marcia jump in here and add or correct anything I'm forgetting.)
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<BR> Happy Old/New year to all
<BR> Dale Erwin</FONT></HTML>