Janina Baur wrote: > Ron, > I have checked out what the problem is, apparently leaving the strings off > for any longer allows the soundboard to resume its original crown and thus > takes some time when placing tension back on the piano to return the > sounboard back to its position again. What do you think of that? Does it > take time for the soundboard to return to its original crown? when the > tension has been fully removed. > Thankyou, Stuart --------------------------------------------------- Once a piano has been strung and tuned to pitch for any length of time -- and assuming that it started out with some normal amount of string downbearing -- the soundboard will never resume its original crown. Not ever. No matter if you take the strings off and no matter how long you leave the strings off. No matter if you try to repair the cracks with shims, no matter if you try to wedge it up. No matter what you do, it will not resume its original crown. Sorry. Taking the strings off of a piano will allow a soundboard to partially resume its original crown. How much depends on many factors such as how the soundboard was originally bellied, how much string downforce was on the bridge, the size and type of piano, etc. However, once the piano is strung again and string downforce is once again applied to the bridge, that crown will disappear. Usually, in fact, when a piano is restrung using the original soundboard, some attempt will be made to add just a bit of string bearing. This means that the soundboard will end up with even less crown than it had before the strings were removed. Del
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