Damper Lift Problem

[Ed Sutton]

Hi Avery-

The genuine Steinway damper lever flange pivot points move in an arc when
the genuine Steinway damper lift tray moves.  This changes the geometry of
the damper levers.  If I remember right this is most severe in a genuine
Steinway D.

The tray drops down and the levers tip up in front, hanging on the dampers.
This might be enough to delay damper lift from the key as you describe.

If this is right, when you return the damper tray  to its original position,
key lift should be restored automatically.

That's my kind of damper regulation!  (If it's my lucky day.)

Hope it's your lucky day. You are very wise not to turn those flange screws
too quickly.

Best,
Ed Sutton

----------
>From: Avery Todd <atodd@UH.EDU>
>To: caut@ptg.org
>Subject: Damper Lift Problem
>Date: Mon, Sep 17, 2001, 8:19 AM
>

> List,
>
> A sort of puzzler for you on this Monday morning. The same 'D'
> with the sluggish flanges that I asked about a week or so ago
> also has a damper lift problem. The symptom is not enough
> damper lift with the pedal, like when there is way too much
> play in the pedal adjustment. Which there is.
>
> I did all the usual stuff. I took up the excess play but that
> made the arm under the keybed so high that there was not enough
> space before it hit the felt stop.
>
> I also checked all the other felts, leathers, etc. and they are
> all fine. The only thing left is for the damper underlevers to
> be too high off the tray. Which is exactly what I finally figured
> out is the problem. Now, the lift with the keys is way too late,
> which would account for the problem of the strings not getting
> high enough off the strings. But it's the underlever position,
> not the key end felt.
>
> I can, of course,reregulate the dampers but my question is does
> anyone have any idea of why this might have happened? It's been
> fine for about 3 yrs. and then all of a sudden (it seems like)
> this happened.
>
> Is there any way the excess humidity in the hall after our flood
> problems could have caused this to happen? I don't understand how
> that could be, though. Everything seems to be free and they are
> not being held up by excess friction or anything like that. This
> is something I just can't figure out the why! Is there any chance
> of things returning to normal and then end up having to
> re-reregulate the damper lift? :-(
>
> I hate regulating dampers but at least I now have the new Spurlock
> jig for that, so it should go a lot faster and easier.
>
> Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks.
>
> Avery
>