[pianotech] Soundboard Pictures

[David Love]

My answer was a bit flip but the overall quality of the tone (sustain being
one part) will tell you a lot about the tonal potential in an old board.
I'm sure if you could examine the wood cells under an electron microscope
you would be able to see damage but, of course, not all the cells in the
panel will be damaged just the weakest links in the compression chain.  One
interesting question is just how much cellular damage needs to take place
before there is a noticeable degradation in tone.  

 

Admittedly, the science of the cellular degradation of the wood in
soundboard panels in not part of my expertise.  Careful listening before
teardown will tell you more than you need to know.  

 

David Love

www.davidlovepianos.com

 

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Noah Frere
Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2009 9:44 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Soundboard Pictures

 

I agree, although there is a degree of subjectivity there which I like to
sometimes temper with science.

Unfortunately, like an idiot, I didn't tune or even play very much the piano
in question, so I won't have a solid before-after comparison in that regard.
However, I did measure the sustain in seconds. That will at least be worth
something. 

On Fri, Feb 13, 2009 at 12:11 AM, David Love <davidlovepianos at comcast.net>
wrote:

The proof of the pudding is in the listening.  

 

David Love

www.davidlovepianos.com

 

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Noah Frere
Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2009 8:11 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: [pianotech] Soundboard Pictures

 

I have been reading for quite some time now, thanks to our wonderful
restored Archives, about soundboards. However, I fear I will be up half the
night with lots of ideas flying around, flying...

So, I have been planning on shimming a 1909 B. Shoninger soundboard with
large cracks, but was told it would be a waste of time, since the soundboard
is dead. 

Now I don't want to start another round of arguments about this, so - are
there any scientific pictures of soundboard compressed wood fibers compared
to a new soundboard? In other words, microscopic photos of a "living" versus
"dead" soundboard? And, any scientific data giving evidence of the "death"
of an old board? 

Meanwhile I will continue reading,

 

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