lexan or Plexiglas for soundboards, now ABS plastic parts

[Billbrpt@AOL.COM]

In a message dated 11/28/98 10:33:11 PM Central Standard Time,
donmannino@mediaone.net writes:

<< Hmmm, that gives me an idea - maybe Kawai should tool up to make
replacement Steinway action parts from ABS. Would anyone buy them?
 
 Don Mannino RPT >>

Although I haven't been in the restoration end of the business for about 10
years, I work closely with a rebuilder.  I can tell you from his point of view
and my own, if I were doing this kind of work that they would be welcome.

It would especially be good for the older, out-of-date parts that current
Steinway parts do not work for, particularly the verticals.

One of the things I think is best about Kawai pianos is the remarkable
stability of the action parts, both alignment and regulation.  What a benefit
it would be to work with these kinds of parts while restoring an old double
flange (hammer & damper)  Steinway vertical!  

I'd say you have a good idea, Don.

As for a synthetic piano soundboard idea, I've thought the same thing since I
was a 17 year old beginner as a piano technician.  To me, it seems that it
would ultimately come to that:  a piano that actually has *no wood* in it:
totally synthetic, soundboard, case, action, etc.  It would probably be very
stable in pitch and tuning.  It might actually require very infrequent tuning.

My dad, who was an engineer with Hughes Aircraft Co. in Los Angeles for some
35 years always said that the reason there was no such thing as an "electric"
car or even ones that were really fuel efficient was that the oil companies
wanted to sell gasoline.  Is this perhaps the same reason why we really don't
want a "plastic" soundboard, even if it did sound pretty good?

Now that there is so much oil available and that gasoline is so cheap and
automobiles are *still* becoming more fuel efficient and that electric cars
are becoming a reality, it will be interesting to see as the supply of really
good wood for these soundboards becomes increasingly scarce what will happen
in the next 30-50 years.

Could it be that there will be a way to grow good spruce more quickly so that
we will always have it just as it seems that the supply of petroleum is not as
scarce as it was once thought to be?  Will electronic keyboards that have no
strings at all to tune be what all but the very few have?  I had seen
predictions in the mid 80's that by now, this would be the case.  I'm glad it
isn't and that there are the few but very fine manufacturers that there are
who are still in an apparently thriving business.

Bill Bremmer RPT
Madison, Wisconsin