Acoustic foam

[Israel Stein]

At 12:00 PM 11/3/2007, John Formsma wrote:

>If I do this again, I will try to find the foam at a cheaper price.
> >From Edwards, it was pre-cut, but $110 (my cost) for just the bottom
>foam pieces.  I think I could find it cheaper, and cut it myself.
>Google "acoustic foam."  It is expensive, but buying it in sheets
>probably makes more sense, unless you want to pay for the convenience.
>  (Even pre-cut for that model piano, I had to trim one of the pieces
>to fit around the player.)

John,

Years ago I had to significantly reduce the volume of a piano without 
voicing. The piano tone was fine, but the owner had tinnitus, so she 
couldn't bear the sound. She was going to return it to the dealer - 
so we had to do the job in a way that was reversible. I bought a 
2-inch foam mattress at an Army-Navy store and cut it up to fit into 
the bottom of the piano. The cost was minimal, and one mattress 
yielded more than enough foam to do the job. The reduction in volume 
was significant - the client kept the piano and everyone was happy. 
Good thing - it was a new Steinway L...

I am not sure that so called "acoustic foam" is worth the expense. 
 From what I read on the results of a "Google" search the concerns 
being addressed are mostly architectural - fire resistance and 
appearance. These are not considerations when installing foam in a 
piano - it's out of sight, and the piano itself is not 
fire-resistant...  So next time, try the simple foam mattress - it 
will do the job. Or give your client the choice - are they willing to 
pay the extra fifty bucks for pretty, fire-resistant foam?

Israel Stein