JD
My friend....I know you know this already but When appropriate &
significant levels of crown exist in the soundboard structure it becomes a springy &
compressable diaphragm & when appropriate & significant amounts of
downbearing are applied on that springy compressible structure the structure moves
more air & the range of power,sustain & tone color are greatly enhanced. This
is why it's down this way in the American system
Yes some systems work well with out much of either and it's simply by
virtue of there mass & stiffness but by in large most systems I'm familiar with
work more efficiently when set up with significant amounts of crown/bearing
& we like it that way.
When C.C. boards go flat here in the States there are weaknesses in the
scale especially in the 6 th octave & when really bad, the 4 octave as well.
Flat boards, in my experience, demonstrate short choppy sustain especially in
the melody range & the complaints begin.
Steinway, Mason & Hamlin, Baldwin, & many many other makers produce there
finest & most famous tone using this model outlined above.
I suspect that pianos are made differently for the European palate or your
expectations of tone & power are entirely different. Viva la difference
Many of us on this list as you know have been working with newer designs
to prolong tonal capabilities, soundboard longevity & create new tonal
envelopes without the destruction of wood cells produced by over drying panels
before the ribs are glued on. (C.C. Methods) Apparently you all have figured that
out how to defeat that years ago so boards never need changing in Europe or
your idea of what consitutes fine has a different definition than we have here.
SO by Yankee definition & by the lack of tone we see in a flat boards &
the improvements we can create building new R.C. boards & R.C. & supported
boards, there is an entire world of tone that is waiting to be discovered by the
World at large. I didn't take some else's word for this but I've tried these
things for myself and many of the protocols shared openly & genrously on
this list have shown to create sounds I personally like.
Perhaps it's our climate with high hot summer humidity in the east/midwest
that thrashes these C.C boards to an early grave & then the 0 humidity in the
winters with the heat on. Wood just doesn't seem to take kindly to all that
here.
Please ....Come to Anaheim June 18 th 2008 to the PTG National Convention
& Rebuilders Gallery & sample some of those flavors. You won't be
disappointed & I would enjoy showing you around.
Respectfully Submitted
Dale Erwin
Well, where you are you seem to replace soundboards as though they
were sparking-plugs. Quite why I can't tell. A soundboard over here
is most unlikely to be replaced even after 100 years and most of them
are fine after 100 years if the pianos have any worth.
JD
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