Nylawbiz, a lot has been written here about old soundboards....here is another link where this was discussed, and Del's answer to a comment I posted there: http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/57334/Re:%20Do%20soundboards%20improve%20wit.html#Post57334



So, I can certainly agree with your opinion that soundboards that have made it this far will likely do so for a long time to come.

It depends on what you mean by “high pressure.” If you are referring to string bearing against the soundboard then, yes, we agree. The pressures are not generally all that high is a conventionally designed piano—typically on the order of 0.5% of the total string tension or less.

This, of course, has little to do with the amount of perpendicular-to-grain compression that may exist within the soundboard panel. I have gone over the basic facts of what goes on within a wood soundboard panel to many times to repeat them all again. My observations and conclusions are based on solid, verifiable wood technology and actual real-world testing. I have no problem with someone disagreeing with these conclusions but I think it reasonable to ask that if someone is going to call them “a dubious proposition” that they base this on valid principles of wood technology and something at least resembling actual test results. This has come up before and I’m still waiting….

ddf