johnstaf I would like to play a new one. I don't know where the nearest dealer is to me, but it's probably 800-1000 miles away. I'm still surprised by what they have kept the same on the new models. I think actually the new models are reverting back to the pre-WW2 styles in some ways. Well, not reverting back but they're going more for a sound influenced by that old sound. It's not the same but hopefully I'm making sense.
I do remember that Blüthner in London had a Style VIII from around 1900 that was rebuilt in Leipzig rather than Piano Restorations Ltd who normally did it. This particular piano was fitted with the factory parts that go into new Blüthners including the new keyboard and action, and a whole new damper system including the damper heads themselves. I can't tell you if the soundboard was crowned in exactly the same way or any of that specification because I simply don't know. I do remember that it was virtually identical in sound to the new models.