Soundboard cracks under long bridge

Greg Newell gnewell@ameritech.net
Thu, 24 Mar 2005 13:46:09 -0500


Dear list members,
         I am faced with a dilemma and would appreciate your advice once 
again. I am refinishing a 61" Howard grand and re-stringing with a new 
block. After strings were removed and the piano sat in the shop for a time 
a soundboard crack appeared which migrates under a crook in the long 
bridge. This could have already been there but not as prominent as it is 
now. I'd like to  try and repair this but I question how to go about it. 
I've tried removing the buttons and screws that attach the long bridge to 
the soundboard hoping that the glue would be loose enough to crack it free 
and pivot it out of the way in order to make the repair. (There's one screw 
way high up in the treble that I just can't get at for love nor money.) 
There is not enough money to replace the board and bridges but it seems 
that the crack will need to be addressed before it goes out. Also, in one 
area of the crack that goes beneath the long bridge the soundboard is 
disconnected from the bridge too, naturally. :-( Any advice?

Greg Newell
Greg's piano Forté
mailto:gnewell@ameritech.net 



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