Kiln dried vs Natural seasoning

[Tony Caught]

Terry Terry Terry,

How would you make a soundboard. ?

Next question

Can't play myself, but time tells all. Tune a piano every year for five
years whilst the piano is being played. Leave it for 15 years for the next
generation cycle then start tuning it again. On the third years tuning the
piano is singing again. Takes 25 years to go through the cycle so you don't
have to answer straight away.

Regards

Tony

----- Original Message -----
From: Farrell <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, June 10, 2001 10:47 PM
Subject: Re: Kiln dried vs Natural seasoning


> > > It is my opinion that a soundboard that is crowned by ribs only
>
> Who on earth makes a soundboard like that?
>
> > > It is also my opinion that if a piano is not played for a number of
> years,
> > > that the quality of tone will weaken but will return with play over a
> period
> > > of time.
>
> Believe me, I have no opinion based in facts or experience on this, but
just
> a thought: could in not be that you play a piano after a few years and it
> sounds "different", weaker tone quality - largely becuase you haven't
played
> it for a while - then it sounds better after a period of time of playing
> it - becuase you have gotten used to it again.
>
> The opposite could be true with regards to some men/women
> interrelationships.
>
> Terry Farrell
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Richard Brekne" <rbrekne@broadpark.no>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Sunday, June 10, 2001 6:01 AM
> Subject: Kiln dried vs Natural seasoning
> >
> > Tony Caught wrote:
> > >
> > >  It is my impression that the tone of a modern new piano remains the
> same
> > > for the first few years then in pianos starts to deteriorate, slowly
in
> > > quality pianos and faster in others. Yet in the older pianos where the
> > > soundboard timber was open air seasoned (as against the modern kiln
> drying)
> > > does not deteriorate to the same degree and possibly not at all except
> for
> > > grain compression problems.
> >
> > Bosendorfer makes a big point of out this. They claim that they do not
> kiln dry
> > any woods used in their instruments.
> >
> > > It is my opinion that a soundboard that is crowned by ribs only will
> last
> > > longer in quality of tone than any other and that if the board is also
> open
> > > air seasoned, it will last even longer. Also that a board made that
way
> will
> > > improve in tone after it has been played for some time.
> >
> >  What do you base this one Tony...? very curious... grin.
> >
> > > It is also my opinion that if a piano is not played for a number of
> years,
> > > that the quality of tone will weaken but will return with play over a
> period
> > > of time.
> >
> > Well,,, there is a certain amount of justification for this from within
> the
> > science community... but just how far it actually goes I dont know.
> Vibration is
> > said to affect wood creep... and on the surface of the explaintions it
is
> hard
> > to see why it wouldnt. However that would tend to simply help creep set
in
> along
> > the lines of the stress exerted upon the wood. Still the basic premise
> that
> > vibration can effect wood physically there....still as yet this kind of
> thing
> > has yet to have a satisfactory explanation...let alone anything
resembling
> a
> > proof. But then that kind of research takes money...
> >
> > > 36 years of tuning pianos give a person observational value only. I am
> going
> > > on my recollections of a period of time when I was tuning pianos in
> stable
> > > climatic condition, but, now that I have been living in the tropics
for
> some
> > > 18 years, I am denied these observations.  Sometimes when I go down
> south on
> > > holidays (and tune a few friends pianos) I can hear again that sweet
> tone
> > > that can come from piano with a fitted with a soundboard made the
right
> way.
> > >
> > > Regards
> > >
> > > Tony
> > >
> >
> > The thing I keep finding again and again is the significant number of
> times that
> > our subjective observations seem to point in directions that dont fit
with
> what
> > we "know".  This should point to the need to look into things from new
and
> > different angles.. to ask new questions.. If for no other reason then
> research
> > is simply and in itself fascinating.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Richard Brekne
> > RPT, N.P.T.F.
> > Bergen, Norway
> > mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no
> >
> >
>