Steinway D problem

[Ron Torrella]

On Thu, 6 May 1999, John Minor wrote:

> I have a 2 year old D that has a ringing damper problem that is trying my
> patience! When F-5 is played, after releasing there is a harmonic given
> off by F-2 which is the first note on the treble bridge. I've changed the
> felt, to no avail. If I lightly touch any ONE of the 3 strings on either
> side of the damper the problem stops. I've tried yarn in the tri-chord
> felt, tipping the damper fore and aft, and side to side. I'm stumped! Any
> advice? I'm rarely unable to make these disappear, but I've tried all my
> tricks. What's a guy to do? 

Clarify something for me: I think you're saying that you play F5 and F2
ghosts, sympathetically to F5. Right? And the string you're touching, the
damper you're fiddling with - those are F2?

Does F2, in fact, have damping problems? Ie: when you play F2, does the
damper ring or does it dampen properly? While you're checking that, watch
the outside strings of F2. Do they come together (move toward center
string) when the damper goes up and move apart when the damper reseats
itself?

I find duckbill pliers to be especially handy for squeezing damper felts,
btw. They're smooth-jawed so there's less tendency to tear the dampers up.

Ron Torrella, RPT

"The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the
opportunity in every difficulty."   -- Winston Churchill