Soundboards

[Delwin D Fandrich]

----- Original Message -----
From: Newton Hunt <nhunt@jagat.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: April 21, 2000 2:09 PM
Subject: Re: Soundboards


> > They dried them down to nothing ....  But, they didn't
> > crown and now one could figure out why.
>
> Del, I find this incomprehensible.   Even _I_ know that plywood
> doesn't swell or shrink like a solid board.  Talk about
> stupidity!!  God have mercy on us all!
>
> Bosendorfer made a 7'4" with a laminated board and the only
> difference was that it did not have quite the volume of the solid
> board.

If there was a volume loss, then they should have spent some more time at
the drawing board.  There is no technical reason that I can think of why it
should not be possible to essentially duplicate the performance of the
so-called 'solid' soundboard panel -- with its associated ribs -- with a
laminated panel.  Well, perhaps not completely duplicate...I think I could
do better in the upper tenor/treble with the laminated panel.



I think even they did not compensate for the differences in
> load bearing ability and stringing compression.  I don't think you
> can make one of and expect to get the same results as 200 years of
> experiences have taught us.

That is pretty much what they said about the carburator, I think.



> Changing to a laminated board is a whole new ball game entirely,
> like bass ball and bowling.  What would be needed is a removable
> soundboard like Dr. Kent had during his and Jim's researches.

Yes, well...it's a new set of rules, perhaps, but the game stays the same.

Del