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Harpsichords and Related Topics

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From:
Richard Schaumloffel <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Harpsichords and Related Topics <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 28 Jan 2016 18:58:37 -0600
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Measuring and using soundboard thickness data from an old instrument for me has always been a bit of a vexed question. I am a compulsive user of the caliper gauge when I plane soundboards even If I am not sure If I can relate it to absolute stiffness along and across the grain because of the possible variation of the chosen tonewood. I don't have Michaels experience because of my much smaller output so I think there is no harm in calipering your soundboard and recording the measurements in case you want to build that model again.  You have more of that tonewood from the same log so you can replicate its tonal character. I will get around to repeating a testing program on the variation in long grain stiffness of samples of tonewood which will give me some indication in the relationship between stiffness and thickness.

My background was Laboratory science so my approach to building ( science) may not be everyone's cup of tea it nevertheless works for me. Interestingly the great Italian violin makers thicknessed their soundboards and backs using calipers and other devices as shown by Stradivari's tool kit and marks shown on the insides of bellys and backs. As far as I know violin makers up to the present day have always followed this tradition. 

Back to the Goermanns/Taskin ,the thickish soundboard may account for its exceptionally rich and complex tone, although there could be a risk of a copy turning out sounding a bit wiry.

Richard

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