Piano soundboard5/10/2023 ![]() This instrument was a six-foot, concert grand, that heralded the start of the Falcone piano company. His experiments and research lasted until 1982 when Falcone was able to finish his first piano made, according to all reports, entirely by hand.įalcone’s time spent working alongside the New England Piano and Organ Company significantly contributed to the production of Falcone’s first instrument. Born in Sicily, Falcone was studying at the Saint Cecilia Conservatory in Rome, learning to tune pianos when his mind turned to the creation of an instrument of his own. This is a tough challenge to set but from what I have researched, one that was confidently met by Falcone.Įarly in 1978, Santi Falcone toyed with the idea of making exceptional pianos with a price tag that did not break the bank of the buyer. Santi Falcone (born 1945), was the gentleman who founded the company with the idea of making affordable pianos but without compromising on quality. They were until around 1995 a US-based piano manufacturer that within a very short time frame established a firm reputation for making pianos of exceptional quality. The name Falcone in the world of piano manufacturing may not be a familiar one to pianists in Europe, Asia, and Australasia. Choosing a piano from the lengthy list of possibilities is a complex and detailed decision, and the longevity of a company is not necessarily a guarantee of quality. This can be true but it is not always the case. In some respects, this lineage brings with it credibility that is reassuring to a point where you feel you can trust the manufacturers to provide you with a high-quality piano every time. The board is placed in the piano and clamped into place with pipe clamps and blocks.When researching the pedigree of many pianos currently available on the market you quickly discover remarkable stories stretching back through time to an age when the instrument was in its infancy. It is then rubbed out to a beautiful satin gloss finish.Īfter the board is done being coated, it’s time to glue it in! Glue is applied to the inner rim of the piano and the edge of the soundboard. Also, the board is protected by applying sanding sealer and a gloss lacquer coat. Then the careful work of setting the string down bearing occurs by planing the tops of the new bridge caps to a pre-determined height. The bridge is dry fit to the soundboard and the whole assembly is dry fit and screwed in place. New bridge caps are applied to the bridge root. Because of these dynamic atmospheric forces, old soundboards will eventually crack due to cellular destruction and degradation. Soundboards lose their crown due to age and seasonal fluctuations of temperature and humidity. The crown is what gives the piano it’s sound. While most may think soundboards are flat, they are in fact crowned. The ribs will be glued on using our soundboard press. The ribs will either be modeled after the original rib design or a custom rib scale will be created. Using patterns from the old board the bridges are reconstructed to proper height and placement for the bridge pins. Once the board has been shaped, it is time to build and attach the new ribs and bridges. A flawlessly flat board provides a perfect glue joint surface for the ribs. Each panel comes out dead flat and needing no further sanding. ![]() These custom crafted soundboard panels are run through a 4 stage panel sander that ensures the pre-determined thickness we desire. This is done using saws and sanders till the ideal shape is achieved. After the panel is sanded flat it is time for shaping and diaphramizing. The panel sander ensures that the board is universal thickness and free of defects. ![]() The next day the excess glue is removed and the soundboard is now ready for the panel sander. Once the joints are done, glue is applied to each edge and then pressed together over night. They are cut and fit to allow for the best possible glue joint between each piece. Soundboards start out as individual pieces of Sitka Spruce.
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