[CAUT] Soundboard Weighting

[Alan McCoy]

Thanks to all for responding. "Sousdboard" sheesh, always appreciate that
kind of correction. The links to the Borland thesis and the Baldwin patent
will be good reading (and Del's old post too), as much as reading can aid
this type of learning process.

The purpose of my question was really to see what others have done, not so
much to attempt a learning shortcut as to share thoughts. I have done some
of my own experimenting to solve some obvious tenor/bass break problems. But
as I keep listening to these beasts I am beginning to hear more board and
less hammer, if that is possible, and more subtle issues. And so I'm
spending time sorting out the mass and stiffness "equation." Today I'll cut
my 1 1/8" diameter brass rod into pieces so I can experiment. I have a
couple S&S Ds and a couple M&H BBs that are a regular part of my clientele
and which are available for experimentation. Both of the BBs are fairly rich
in the bass, but one continues this richness much further up the scale,
while the other is, for lack of a better word, thinner or lacking in
fundamental or some such. So for this one I'm thinking that adding brass
might slow down the board some and make it more responsive to the
fundamental. 

More later as I have time to see what actually happens, instead of
speculating.

Thanks again.

Alan


> From: Greg Newell <gnewell at ameritech.net>
> Reply-To: "College and University Technicians <caut at ptg.org>" <caut at ptg.org>
> Date: Tue, 28 Apr 2009 11:59:48 -0400
> To: "College and University Technicians <caut at ptg.org>" <caut at ptg.org>
> Subject: Re: [CAUT] Soundboard Weighting
> 
> OK, Has anyone else read this? I scanned it and found in numerous locations
> the word ³adjacent² referring to either notes or strings. It describes
> undesirable tonality differences, that attaching the weight (between roughly
> 50-200 grams) is supposed to fix. I thought that the purpose of the weight
> (brass or otherwise) was to change the impedance of the system in a
> generalized area i.e. the treble range as we are accustomed to using it, not
> targeting to adjacent notes or strings. Am I missing something here?
> 
>  
> 
> Greg Newell
> 
> Greg's Piano Forté
> 
> www.gregspianoforte.com
> 
> 216-226-3791 (office)
> 
> 216-470-8634 (mobile)
> 
>  
> 
> From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of
> Richard Adkins
> Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2009 11:38 AM
> To: caut at ptg.org
> Subject: Re: [CAUT] Soundboard Weighting
> 
>  
> 
> There's a US patent, evidently....whooduthunk? Harold A. Conklin, Jr Baldwin
> Piano and Organ Co....filed in 1985....!
> 
>  
> 
> http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/4602548/fulltext.html
> 
>  
> 
> you need to be a full member to see the illustrations....but the text is
> revealing.
> 
>  
> 
> This might explain the weighting in the Baldwin 6000 (not 7000)....Concert
> Vertical
> 
>  
> 
> cheers,
> 
> Richard
> 
>  
> 
>  
>