Soundboard Evaluation

[Richard Brekne]

Ron Nossaman wrote:

> >Not wanting to stir anybodies drinks....
>
> Of course you do, or you wouldn't approach it this way.

well ok... but just a little...:)

>
> >I thought everyone just got convinced
> >that it was just as fine to simply re-rib the old panel.
>
> No, everyone didn't just get convinced of this, and that isn't what Del
> said in the first place.

Well in all seriousness then I suppose you can then explain to me what he did
say in the following quote below then...


RB
:> You just posted that a 100 or so year old  panel with new ribs "probably"
>would sound the same as a brand new panel in relation to Andre's posting. A
>direct consequence of this reasoning (and the above) is that we dont need new
>panels at all. Just rip out any old panel from an old birdcage wreck...glue it
back
>into one piece and rib crown it with new ribs and it will sound good as new.

DF:
Yes, I did, didn't I? And, yes, all other things being equal, this is pretty
much the case. After all, just what has changed during the life of that old
soundboard, be it from an old birdcage wreck or an old Steinway grand?

>
> >So why not just remove
> >the ribs, machine crown them and glue the whole thing back togther with
> renewed
> >crown and save the expense and environmental concerns of cutting down a new
> >tree.
> >
> >Richard Brekne
>
> Where are you going to get the wood thickness at the ends of the ribs to
> machine away to form this crown? The ribs are replaced in this scenario.
> The difference in cost here between reusing the old panel and replacing it
> with new is the cost of the panel, with fitting and thicknessing time, less
> the cost in time spent carefully removing the old one and making the
> necessary repairs - including stripping for refinishing.

Ok... I buy this... perfectly sensible.

> The reason techs try to save the old panel in the first place is the notion
> that the panel
> contains the soul of the sound of the piano (which incidentally currently
> sounds bad enough to warrant this work),

While I agree with you about the "soul of the piano" thingy... the
"incidentally" part seems to conflict with the basic premise that the age of the
panel makes no difference. Rather it would seem that it has been stated that it
is the condition of the soundboard assembly as a whole that warrants a fix. The
wood of the panel in itself has in principal no significant affect unless its
like all warped out of shape and destroyed in that or some similiar sense..

Listen, I am actually very interested in all this... but seem to need some
sensibility in argumentation that some others find annoying... so perhaps if you
would be kind enough to write some words that may clear up the matter for me in
a private note...I would be greatfull.


> and must be salvaged whatever the
> cost. I disagree, and will opt to replace the panel if I have to go to the
> trouble to put a set of ribs in anything.
>
> Ron N

--
Richard Brekne
RPT, N.P.T.F.
Bergen, Norway
mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no