Soundboard Evaluation

[Farrell]

> First, congratulations on the keybed. Good show.

Thanks, I'm real happy with it.

> I say you're right, and since you have built that fine new keybed for it,
> it will be the piano that you "rebuilt" that will have that sound.

What's that, the sound of termites munching?

> How does
> one tell the difference between zero and negative bearing with a rocker
> gage?

Well, clearly we are pushing the limits of such a gauge, but you can do it -
if there is enough negative bearing. Just look to see whether there is a gap
under the middle point. You can even use it as a component bearing gauge by
moving two points off the bridge and just putting one of the end points on
top of the bridge - you can see the negative bearing a little better if you
do it this way. You get creative when your good tools break (the foot of my
Lowell gauge broke - gotta get another).

Terry Farrell

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ron Nossaman" <RNossaman@KSCABLE.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2001 11:39 PM
Subject: Re: Soundboard Evaluation


> > Piano sounds a
> >bit weak and has a bad killer octave area. I measured for downbearing
with
> >the goofy little three point brass thingee. Absolutely ZERO downbearing
on
> >the whole long bridge. Everywhere. Zero. Never saw that before.
>
> First, congratulations on the keybed. Good show. Then, a question. How
does
> one tell the difference between zero and negative bearing with a rocker
> gage? It's a moot point, I suppose, since they're so close together at the
> bottom of the bearing rating scale chart, but still.
>
>
> >...  and zero crown for the upper treble section (exactly where the
> >killer octave area starts!) and the high treble section.
> --------------------
> >I clearly feel a new soundboard is needed to bring the piano up to its
> >potential. But, playing devil's advocate, most of the board has good
crown -
> >why not just recap the bridges and put in appropriate downbearing -
although
> >admittedly this would be tough in the high treble where there is already
a
> >flat board - although hard to measure the little bit of crown that
> >would/should be there.
>
> So we have the situation where the board is flat in the same area where
the
> bearing is non existent in the same area where the sound is terrible. And
> the other indications of a dead board are????? Wouldn't it be interesting
> if it averaged out to the overall median throughout?
>
>
> >I say if the plate is coming out for new bridge caps, give it a new board
> >also - otherwise they will likely have a very lackluster bla piano.
> >Waddayasay???
> >
> >Terry Farrell
>
> I say you're right, and since you have built that fine new keybed for it,
> it will be the piano that you "rebuilt" that will have that sound.
>
> Ron N