How soundboard wood species affects tone

shawarma_bees · 2024-05-27T12:12:58+00:00

Spruce is by far the most common choice for soundboard wood, with desirable structural and acoustic properties that make it well-suited for the piano. Sitka...

trecorda

Perhaps next year we will visit there? We hope to go to Europe in 2026. The last time we visited Italy was in the 80’s but that was in Livorno, Florence and Rome.

Vuong

trecorda
Then you will have the opportunity to visit Trent (Trento), which is not very far from Tesoro where the firm Ciresa is located. Trento is a beautiful city which has a lot of musical events of classical music concerts. It was also there that the Council of Trent was hold from 1545 to 1563 to try to counter the Protestant reformation. It was started by Pope Paul III.

trecorda

Trento sounds interesting, especially the concerts and recitals. So that’s the place where the Nicene creed was written. I am not Catholic just a boring Anglican but yes we say the creed. ( I do not attend services enough but always hope to improve. 😌) I think the Anglican ( Church of England) and Lutheran church kept the creed. I always wondered who decided what to say in that part of the liturgy. I always thought that the creed was created earlier. Anyway I am going madly O/T here. That forest and those trees sound great!

Vuong

trecorda
From Trento it is short drive to Tesoro where the firm Ceresa is located. You will have an interesting visit guided by Mrs Ciresa herself, going through the different steps from the 150 year old tree to the selection of the wood for the sound board.

trecorda

Apparently Steinway pianos are claiming there is no more quality Sitka spruce for their pianos.

trecorda

If it’s not Steinway Pianos then the WSJ. Steinway pianos must know about it, surely? Is it just another marketing ploy by S&S?

https://www.wsj.com/opinion/want-a-steinway-the-forest-service-stands-in-the-way-wood-piano-supply-17019b1d

CrisOliveira

trecorda
What does that mean? Will S&S suck up to the US gov in order to have environmental regulations removed? “Let society’s legal apparatus remove all obstacles the best it can”, what neoliberal BS is that!? The more I know about S&S as a company, the more I dislike them. Not that S&S would care about what the peasantry thinks of them. If they like laissez faire that much, they should stop whining and work harder. Pull up those bootstraps.

trecorda

https://woodcentral.com.au/want-a-steinway-piano-why-the-feds-now-stand-in-your-way/

trecorda

trecorda For some reason my post does not have my name? It looks like it’s been deleated. I am talking about my reply to Vuong on 15 th of June

rsl12

trecorda Reload the page. I don't know why, but very occasionally the website will replace my name with [deleted], but reloading fixes it.

trecorda

rsl12 Thanks rsl12, can try that. It’s not that important I suppose but I will try.

trecorda

Neo Liberalism?, Neo Conservatism? Neo Nationalism? I thought the important people in S&S supported the government. But that’s not what this is about. It’s about high quality Sitka Spruce (or the lack of from Alaska. I think ) They can buy some from Canada of course. Sorry about the extra cost with tariffs.

aktyler49

trecorda I
I was googling, trying to figure out how much actual tone wood is used in a piano, and came across this post. I can say that I was in Klawock, Alaska, a week ago, where Viking Lumber (the source for ALL Steinway tonewood) is, and they have PLENTY of Sitka Spruce lumber. I'm not sure if the pictures will work; I've just joined this site to respond.

CrisOliveira

trecorda I thought the important people in S&S supported the government.

I'm sure they do. But if tariffs hurt their business, that's what they get for being the lambs supporting the wolf. I would at least hope those suits would leave their brand untainted, but it seems that's too much to ask.
I love pianos, but not to the point where forest protections are loosened up. In order to enjoy pianos, I need to be able to breathe and withstand temperature. Maybe those instrument makers' R&D should look into new reforestation techniques, idk.

trecorda

I do not believe I said anything “wrong”in the reply above.

aktyler49

trecorda

There is always that but ultimately we cannot survive without worlds forests nor can many other creatures. So yes I agree with you. It is something that worried us when we bought our piano.
I wonder what those custom designed Fazioli grands (with their special laminated soundboards) actually sound like?

trecorda

The pictures look good, but the reports seem real. So one wonders if all that wood is for S&S soundboards? How many excellent soundboards can be used from one tree?

Vuong

trecorda
Looking at the picture, those logs do not seem to be old enough to be used as wood for Steinway soundboard. I can refer to the email of Mrs Ciresa of the Val di Fiemme who stated that a tree for soundboard needs to be old between 150 to 200 years before it can be harvested. I do not know how old the Sitka spruce tree has to be for Steinway to consider it for their soundboard.
As for the question of how many soundboards can be used from one tree, you need again to refer to the email of Mrs Ciresa at the beginning of this post. It is quite interesting to read it.
Again if one looks at the picture there are a relatively large number of logs of trees which do not appear to be very old. At this rate of cutting one has to wonder how detrimental it could be to the National Forest?

trecorda

True Vuong, I wonder if any of that wood is to used for S&S soundboards?
I need a ride in royal carriage at the moment to cheer me up too. I have to have abdominal surgery because of a medical condition, so perhaps King Charles and Camella could perhaps oblige. I do not have big money so I suppose not. Oh well.

Vuong

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Surely not!. These logs on the pictures are not from trees old enough for soundboard.

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