Crystal Sound Board
The Crystal Soundboard is the name of the glass soundboard for pianos and grand pianos, invented and developed by piano engineer C.J. de Baat jr., owner of the piano technical company Stemco. A few important advantages of the Crystal Soundboard over a conventional wooden soundboard: This solid glass soundboard is much less sensitive to temperature fluctuations and moisture, the piano sound is more homogeneous and the tones keep sounding longer. Besides, the tuning stability is considerably higher.
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See more pictures of the Crystal Sound Board
The Crystal Soundboard will create no less than a revolution in the international world of music. The reason is: this glass soundboard will carry the piano into a new era. A wooden soundboard is vulnerable and can be replaced by a solid glass soundboard without any problem. For the Crystal Soundboard only has advantages.
This solid glass soundboard is much less sensitive to temperature fluctuations and moisture, the sound of the piano is more homogeneous, the tones keep sounding longer and the tuning stability is considerably higher. To get a clear understanding of these advantages, here is a brief explanation of the soundboard of a piano.
This soundboard, also called sounding board, intensifies the vibrations of the touched strings and is also significant to the timbre of the instrument. Since the beginning of the eighteenth century, this relatively simple partition is being made of wood. Wood, however, is very vulnerable, as it keeps warping and will get cracks and bursts. A soundboard of glass makes an end to that problem once and for all. For glass is considerably more solid than wood.
A piano with a glass soundboard has the following assets:
- A glass soundboard makes the piano insensible to temperature (fluctuations), atmospheric humidity and pressure;
- The sound stays warm, but is more homogeneous and has a higher clearness;
- The sound does not distort;
- The tones keep sounding on longer;
- Almost 25 seconds (compared to 15 seconds with a wooden soundboard);
- The application of a glass soundboard instead of the laborious wooden one, makes the production of pianos and grand pianos easier;
- Glass is environment-friendly.
An extra asset is the decorative aspect: the glass soundboard offers a clear view of the piano's interior. In addition, the transparent soundboard can also be manufactured from tinted glass.
The glass soundboard is made of specially tooled and toughened glass and can - also afterwards - be built into all pianos and grand pianos. In the studio of the inventor and also patentee Kees de Baat is a piano with the built in Crystal Soundboard. You're welcome to make an appointment with him for a demonstration to convince your own eyes and ears of the exceptional quality of the glass soundboard.
For further
information or a visit to Stemco, please contact Kees
de Baat.