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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=Erwinspiano@aol.com
href="mailto:Erwinspiano@aol.com">Erwinspiano@aol.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=pianotech@ptg.org
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> January 03, 2003 3:55 =
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Restored Baldwin out =
the
door</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT lang=0 =
face=Arial size=2
FAMILY="SANSSERIF">
<DIV><BR>
List<BR> Tomorrow I'm
delivering a 1920 pre-model R Baldwin. It's 5 ft. 8 " I just thought =
some
would enjoy a thought or two on this. This is the first Baldwin I've =
had the
opportunity to do a complete restoration on including new belly and =
all.
Although I'm not a big Baldwin fan I am very pleased with the way this =
piano
came out. Tonally it's very strong, and dark sounding with excellent =
sustain
characteristics. Very even scale note to note& no weak spots or =
notes.
This board had/has eleven ribs compared to a modern Rs 10 heavier =
built ribs.
The original ribbing was really to light especially in the bottom end. =
Like
15/16 mm deep on the first 3 or ribs. I beefed them up. I use tight =
sugar pine
thru out on a Sitka panel.<BR> I was shocked to think that =
Baldwin
Designers had any idea that ribs that thin would retain any kind of =
real crown
for more than two weeks. </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=3>Why should =
you be so
shocked? In a compression-crowned soundboard assembly the ribs actually =
resist
the formation of crown and of necessity must be flexible enough to bend =
as the
board expands. The ribs on compression-crowned soundboards are almost =
always
wider than they are tall -- though this is some shallow even for an =
early c-c
board. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 =
size=3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=3>I'm guessing =
that they were
trying to reduce the stiffness of the soundboard assembly to give it =
somewhat
better mobility in response to the larger movement required to develop =
good
articulation in the bass. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 =
size=3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=3>To determine =
whether or not
it worked as designed you would have to go back to the original =
specification
and try it. Which, with a Baldwin Model L, I was nearly able to do. We =
were
looking into redesigning the current (as of the late 1980s) Model L and =
I was
able to locate the original design specifications for what was then =
known as the
Model C. Your mention of the shallow ribs reminds me of those specified =
for that
piano. We built up a piano as close to the original as possible and =
found it to
be a truly wonderful sounding instrument. The sound at pianissimo was =
incredibly
lush and warm and yet was exceptionally dynamic with an adequately =
bright and
powerful forte. At least for the size room in which it would have =
typically been
used. It was a superb chamber piano. But it was not LOUD enough. =
POWERFUL
enough. LOUD enough. BRILLIANT enough. LOUD enough. BIG enough. LOUD =
enough.
BRIGHT enough. Or LOUD enough. It was not what the management of the day =
wanted
to emulate the onslaught of Asian pianos with their much =
harder, linear and
LOUD sound. So, of course, rather than be different and walk the road =
less
traveled, the piano was scrapped. Ah, well....</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 =
size=3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 =
size=3>Del</FONT></DIV>
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