[CAUT] Soundboard weighting

[David Love]

Mass loading seems most necessary where treble cutoffs are employed
especially behind the treble bridge (the so-called "fish") where the cutoff
changes the balance between stiffness and mass (increasing the stiffness
while reducing the mass).  The added mass in the form of weights recaptures
that balance and prevents that jangly sound that can come from that
imbalance.  Mass loading is not needed lower down in the scale and, in fact,
the bass section seems to benefit from reduced mass which, I believe, is why
you often see holes drilled out of the bass bridge. 

BTW I've changed the subject line from "sousdboard weighting" to soundboard
weighting as I couldn't help but feel like we were talking about a
soundboard that had had one too many.  Appropriate as it might be in this
case.   

David Love
www.davidlovepianos.com


-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Andrew
Anderson
Sent: Monday, April 27, 2009 8:09 PM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Sousdboard weighting

Alan,
Seems to me that Overs utilized up to 90 oz weights.  Recommendations  
were to have a variety precut and temp them into the bottom of the  
bridge to judge effect.
Been meaning to try that too, along with a few other interesting things.

Andrew Anderson

On Apr 27, 2009, at 7:16 PM, Alan McCoy wrote:

> Hi folks,
>
> For anyone who is doing soundboard weighting I'd like to know what  
> you have
> found effective. Of course if you also state what kind of board  
> system, it
> would provide the necessary context. And, while I'm asking, what did  
> you
> achieve, or what problem were you trying to solve (ex. I wanted to  
> get rid
> of the thunky sound, or wanted more fundamental, etc.).
>
> 1. What is the heaviest amount of mass that you have added in any one
> location to effectively achieve what you wanted? For what type of  
> board
> system?
>
> 2. What is the least amount of mass that you have added in any one  
> location
> to effectively achieve what you wanted? For what type of board system?
>
> 3. Have you noticed a pattern to the mass loading? That is, more  
> mass is
> necessary in one are of the board and less mass in a different area.
>
> Thanks for any responses.
>
> Alan
>
>
> -- Alan McCoy, RPT
> Eastern Washington University
> amccoy at ewu.edu
> 509-359-4627
> 509-999-9512
>
>
>
>