Renner & Tokiwa damper underlever kits come with underlever springs, and instructions for installing them. It's a little tougher if you're not replacing the complete back-action, but you can retro-fit an underlever system that doesn't have springs, to one that has springs, by adding little felt blocks on the arm of the underlever. Once springs are installed it is very easy to weigh-off the underlevers, adjusting the spring at the coil to either make the spring tension heavier or lighter. I've been doing this for years, and assume you all know what I mean. Weight is taken with a Corex tension gauge, needle positioned at the front end of the underlever. Weight goes from around 32 grams at #1 and tapers to the end of the spring section, matching the 1st underlever without a spring. The Renner kit instructions come with the Chris Robinson instructions that have the gram weight specs on the back page. They don't, however, show how to manipulate the spring at the coil to get these spring tensions. I've got photos somewhere, if anyone want to know. I am a BIG fan of springs on underlevers, and disagree totally with Steinway's line of not needing springs on underlevers, and that it is part of the Steinway sound. Sometimes the best sound is no sound! Debbie Cyr Registered Piano Technician 508-202-2862 cell In a message dated 11/25/2009 11:03:37 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, dmckech at ithaca.edu writes: Kent, The actions for the two pianos are similar when out of the piano but one can feel the extra weight from the damper springs on the older B's when the action is back in. Your response has given me some encouragement to give the springs a try on one of the newer B's. I currently have one of them in the shop for a Stanwood modification so this might just be the right time! One question, do you modify the weight of the underlever when adding springs? I want to say there is a weight difference on the underlevers between the old and new but I will not know until I return to the shop on Monday. I am installing wippen support springs so I will watch out for the "let-off bump." Regards, Don From: Kent Swafford <_kswafford at gmail.com_ (mailto:kswafford at gmail.com) > Date: November 25, 2009 10:22:51 PM EST To: _caut at ptg.org_ (mailto:caut at ptg.org) Subject: Re: [CAUT] Steinway dampers: The aftermath Reply-To: _caut at ptg.org_ (mailto:caut at ptg.org) If an action is set up correctly, I believe it can handle the addition of underlever springs. I routinely install damper underlever springs with all new back actions, and even retrofit underlever springs when installing new dampers. The benefit of improved damping outweighs any possible touchweight problems, as far as I am concerned, not that I have encountered any such touchweight problems. It is a bit difficult to quantify touch-weight problems that might result from underlever springs since touchweight is generally considered without damper involvement at all, of course. The only "problem" I have ever been concerned about is on actions with wipp support springs. In those actions, during pianissimo playing, the underlever spring can seem to add enough resistance to make the let-off bump a bit more noticeable than "usual." But no pianist has yet complained. Kent Swafford Don McKechnie Piano Technician Ithaca College _dmckech at ithaca.edu_ (mailto:dmckech at ithaca.edu) 607.274.3908 = -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/caut.php/attachments/20091126/b9bd83bb/attachment.htm>
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC