Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum Anybody need a soundboard?

Looks like someone went shopping at the Conway firesale a while back. I'm seeing a number of odd Baldwin things on eBay, like this 9' sound board, SF-10 bridges & pin block, etc.

I'll take it for $1. LOL.

BTW, correct me if I'm wrong but piano soundboards are pieces of solid wooden planks that are glued next to each other, right?

So has anyone in the piano industry made a piano soundboard entirely from one solid piece (that is if they found a large enough tree)?

I know it's been done before where the entire piano rim is one solid piece of wood rather than laminated (I think Bosendorfer pianos are famous for this process).

Good job, gskmeva123. You are very close!

Here is the thing. An entire soundboard could never be made of one entire tree. This is because there is only a particular part of the wood that is used in making a soundbaord and part of the "recipe" is the way the pieces are cut. They are quarter sawn. This is more expensive than plain sawing, traditionally more wasteful, but results in a more stable piece of wood with a more favorable grain orientation.

Also, although a Bösendorfer is made with more soundboard quality spruce than any other piano in the world, it is not one solid piece of wood. That would also be impossible.

My 2 cents,

Bosendorfer rim is made "butcher block" style. Far from one piece.

Pwg

What we in the industry call "one piece" rims are when the inner and outer rim are laminated in one operation. Steinway pioneered this.

..and not many other piano companies agree with them, Ed. I must say, from a QC standpoint, a separate inner and outer rim make a lot of sense.



Yep. Thank you Paul.

If I could buy it, I'd convince myself that I could build a piano around it. Then then after reality dawned on me, I could add it to my mound of unfinished projects...

I took the original soundboard from a Mason & Hamlin CC2 that we replaced and turned it into the backboard for my dartboard. I cut it down to a smaller piece and left the ribs facing outward. It works very well, and I'll probably improve it the next time I do it.

Years ago, a luthier in our area would collect the old soundboards, thin them down and re-piece them into panels for his guitars. Don't know how much they added to the tone, but they were very nice guitars. The concept made sense to me.

There aren't many traditional uses for this cut of spruce in construction, but I bet members here could come up with many ways to upcycle that Baldwin soundboard.

I wouldn't use it. The grain angle is off a few degrees for my preferences. I prefer at least one panel section to go through the top treble through to the bass bridge.

Thank you for your reply. Learned something new today.

Michael

I always learn a lot from the posters here. Thanks!

See the difference?
http://forum.pianoworld.com//ubbthreads.php/galleries/2809002.html#Post2809002

How would that work on a D? You could cut the Baldwin soundboard to fit a smaller piano, and the grain would be under the bridges.

I see a big mix of heartwood and sapwood. They would have different densities and therefore tap out at different frequencies. Is there a recipe for this? Would you tap each strip before the glue up or do you make the panel and shape it's response as a whole with rib profiles or other means?

My knowledge of this come from guitars and cellos so that's my only context.


Kurt

First of all, it's not Sitka Spruce! I bought a supply of this very interesting Adirondack Spruce from a retired rebuilder. It has weird coloring for sure, but wow, it is incredible sounding stuff. Since I only have enough for about 10 pianos (then it's gone forever) i am not being particular as to color matching as i normally would be.
-chris