Fw: Reverse Crown Soundboard

[Erwinpiano]

  Hi Terry

   I have seen this quite a few times.  Julius Bauer, Becker bros. Emerson
and others did use this design.  When you stumble on to this your first
thought is that the board went south and then you realize that it's to
intentional especially when you put a string across it and see a very
deliberate curve  You know every one says it's a bad design but each one I
have rebuilt has had incredible sustain and power. In fact the sustain is
better than most conventional boards. In spite of the wood being in
tension(positive bearing but reverse crown) only one board had a narrow 4
inch crack that was easily shimmed.

  Dale Erwin


----- Original Message -----
From: "Farrell" <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, June 28, 2001 5:36 PM
Subject: Reverse Crown Soundboard


> I just finished reading an article by Del Fandrich in the December 1997
PTG
> Journal about soundboards. Great reading. I'm having a blast with my
20-Year
> Journal CDs. In one of his side notes he mentions that some pianos have
been
> built with reverse crown. Who has done this? When? Has Steinway ever done
> this in the past or now? I had a new 1098 a couple years ago with a full
> 1/4" of reverse crown and plenty of downbearing. Anyone else ever seen
this
> or know about it?
>
> Terry Farrell
>
>
>