Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Tuner-Technicians Forum does cracked souund board affect sound?

thinking about buying a piano that has a slight crack in the treble sound board.

owners says it does not affect sound.

comments?

thank you.

Have the piano examined by an independent tech.

They MAY be correct. Here is a condensed explanation:

A separation can cause unwanted buzzing in the board, but not be structural. However, every structural flaw in a soundboard begins as a small crack.

Others not so tired may say it better.

A crack may not be harmful in sound production. But if there is any separation from the ribs, or it interferes with the bridges, it may need more attention. Your friendly tech will know. [find one who does repairs, not just tuning] :rolleyes:

[QUOTE]slight crack in the treble sound board.
/QUOTE]

It all depends on the size and location of the crack. Consider that the crack may widen and/or others appear when the piano you buy is moved from a location with high humidity to one with lower humidity.

In general a crack or a split in a soundboard is a cosmetic problem and will not affect sound.

When there are many and numerous splits it is a sign of the piano's wood drying out, you get loose ribs (as mentioned above) and it probably has loose tuning pins as well.

Have a tech look at it