The most advanced soundboards made today.
Maximized Resonance, incredible Projection and sound radiation.
Chernobieff Soundboards take full advantage of REAL acoustic principles, the most important being “MAXIMIZE THE STIFFNESS TO WEIGHT RATIO”. How this is accomplished is by adjusting the thickness of the panel and adjusting the rib dimensions and deflections so the bridge becomes the center of amplitude. By doing these things, wood is removed where its not needed. I use Osage Orange for bridge caps because i don’t want the energy from the strings to be dampened in the slightest, which is what happens with maple or laminated bridge caps.
An important feature of my soundboards is an even rib scale. This is so important because this is how the load is distributed evenly across the board.
All of this creates an extremely strong structure, that is as light in weight as possible. Thus, allowing acoustic energy to easily resonate the board and fill the air with soundwaves quickly.
Why copying the old board is a terrible idea.
I’ve studied over 500 soundboards in detail while seeking where improvements can be made.
Here is basically what I found out:
- Old boards were WAY over built, and thus WAY too heavy.
- Panels were never planed correctly.
- Rib scales were always uneven. This is because they had been hand planed after they are glued onto the panel. Often seen is a small rib in between two large ones. How does that makes sense?
- Downbearing was almost always set to high for a board to handle in any reasonable amount of time. Thus fatigue quickly set in.
For another example, the 1936 Steinway diaphragmatic design was a mistake. The idea was to make the board light in weight(good), but it went too far and compromised the strength(bad).
Baldwin created the accu-just system which brought precision in setting downbearing. I consider it to be the best piano invention in the last 100 years. This is because a lighter load on a board keeps it free to move.
Copying an old board is a wasted opportunity, because with a well – designed board, a piano is brought to it’s full potential. This translates into a full rich responsive tone and a piano that REALLY sings with a full range of dynamics.
Correcting design mistakes do not alter the Baldwin from being a Baldwin or a Steinway from being a Steinway. For example, I had three Baldwin R’s in my shop, 2 weighed 18 lbs, and the other weighed 15 lbs. A 3 pound difference. One just sounded like a better Baldwin. And same thing with Steinway, which ones are better? before or after 1936? I have seen as much as 8 lb differences in the same models.
What is a Chernobieff Soundboard?
A properly thicknessed Spruce panel, glued on an engineered rib scale of Eastern White Pine. The bridge caps made from the hardest wood that grows in America. Then it’s Chladni tested for making micro fine acoustic adjustments, and strung with a light and even downbearing load.
If you are thinking of having your piano rebuilt and it needs a new soundboard, a Chernobieff Soundboard will make your piano be, the best piano it can be.