[CAUT] strange rib damage

[Ron Nossaman]

On 12/7/2010 5:41 PM, Kent Swafford wrote:
> I was tuning a D at a local church. It had a dreadful sympathetic
> noise on one note in the mid-range. I took a look underneath to check
> for separating ribs and the attached photo shows what I found. This
> is looking above the belly rail at the front of the soundboard. This
> was difficult to photograph and I never did get the other side in
> focus, but the crack goes all the way through. I don't much
> understand how this could happen, but there it is. Damage that opened
> up over time? Anyone here have experience with similar rib damage.

I've seen it, usually accompanied by 3° treble bearing. I figured it was 
an undetected crack when the board was built, compounded by asking a lot 
structurally of sugar pine ribs.


> I think it will be an easy fix, allowing for the fact that this is
> above the belly rail. But of course, I won't know for sure this is
> the source of the noise until after it is fixed.

Pre-test with a wedge, to see if the noise goes away before committing 
to a full chiropractic episode. If it doesn't, life just got tougher.
Ron N