The listing is:

JUVENOIS, PARIS, 1891

Here's another from the same site - it looks ready for a puppet show!



Cabinet Piano by Clementi & Co, London , ca. 1820.

I think I posted that one a couple dozen pages ago.

dang! I remembered a tall one, but for some reason the curtains got me today!

Here's a new one:

and I even found the artwork somewhere else...

So what's up with this one?

Cool; ribs on the top side of the board. Hmmmmm, reverse crown on purpose?

Usually you see them from the bottom:

Oh sure, just try to get me to think on a weekend!

I'll have to get back to you on this one. I remember seeing something from Del Fandrich or Ron Nossaman in some old discussion about this very topic... I think Ric Brekne was in on the mix and it was pretty heated. (From pianotech@ptg.org for the youse udder gyce)

Vibrating edge-constrained systems and all. (hmmm, I wonder what google images would think of that?!?)

I think I read that discussion but I don't remember what was said or who had said what. When I posted my question, it came to mind. (Or didn't, really. ) I do think Brekne was in there. And Nossaman's always in there.

I hadn't really thought much about the point at the time and have read so much since then that I now find myself reconsidering from a more serious perspective. Looking at the picture and thinking about the stresses in the system, it struck me that it might actually be the way to go, however unsightly. It seems it'd be highly unlikely to end up with "compression set" to any appreciable degree in that upside-down system. (The most expensive piano I know of that ever changed hands was a Bauer, but I don't know if it had that ribs-up board. It went for upwards of $1 mil.)

Actually, I do now recall Del commenting on it, because I remember him saying he'd seen a Bauer that even had ribs on both top and bottom.

[Edit: I was wondering about that "think on a weekend" comment, but dismissed it as you getting in the mood early. Then I called my accountant to find out what time she wanted to meet today. She was a little perplexed. Turns out it's not Friday at all now, but Saturday. Somehow I've misplaced a whole day. My memory or maybe general awareness is slipping more than I thought when I alluded to the haziness of my recollection about that Bauer discussion. ]

As I think about it a bit more it seems that the normally crowned board attempts a stasis of sorts.... the crown pushing up against the strings - as the wood looses the battle the board goes flat.

In the Bauer system, once the wood looses the battle, it has nowhere to go but to break.

I dunoo, I'll give it some more thought later

No cut-off bars? No fish?

While we're on the subject of soundboards, here's a picture of how the ribs are glued to the board. The "go-bars" provide clamping pressure off of the ceiling. (crown building)

quote:

Originally posted by rontuner:
and I even found the artwork somewhere else...

Heed the lesson of this picture: ALWAYS hold your New Year's Eve party out of the way of the piano!!

Woops.

No, this isn't playdough, but hammer felt. Ever been in on a discussion about the merits of hot-pressed vs. cold-pressed hammers? This gives you a picture of why cold-pressed hammers tend to be more resiliant and less brick-like.

and the jeebies.