Soundboard Springs. Long.

[Delwin D Fandrich]

----- Original Message -----
From: <Yardarm103669107@AOL.COM>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: April 24, 2001 2:28 PM
Subject: Re: Soundboard Springs. Long.


> In a message dated 4/24/2001 12:57:25 AM Central Daylight Time,
> pianobuilders@olynet.com writes:
>
> << Experimental work with the idea was just
>  getting nicely started when the traditionalists and experts managed to
put a
>  stop to it >>
>
> Pray tell, are there details? This is too juicy to let go by, Del. Tell
the
> story.
> PR-J

Nothing all that unusual, really. Just the normal barrage of criticism
directed by Those Who Know toward Those Who Are Learning. Folks were
actually fooling around with the original design of the piano by putting
those springs back there. Never mind that the pianos were generally crap by
that time anyway. One man (a PTG member) threatened to try to get the people
working with these ideas thrown out of PTG. (Didn't work with me since I had
not yet joined -- he then threatened to try to keep me out forever.) Didn't
work and I don't know if he ever followed through on any of his fire
breathing. I remember several early experimenters who were pretty much
shunned by some of their older peers over stuff like this. After a while you
just give up on things.

For some reason, there has long been a reluctance in this industry to try
new things. It's like the instrument is sacred and mere mortals shouldn't
fuss with it. Funny how those things sometimes seem to come full circle,
though. Maybe its just that my skin is getting thicker with age and
experience.

Ah, well...

Regards,

Del