Hi Tom, Sometimes the pelican spring is almost ready to break and flexes enough where it will eventually break. Hard to spot. Joe Goss ----- Original Message ----- From: Brian Trout <btrout@desupernet.net> To: <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Thursday, May 11, 2000 4:18 PM Subject: Re: Wurlitzer Broken Damper Springs > Hello Tom, > > You mentioned a former tenant affectionately named "rodentus miscecus". I'm > assuming you mean they had mice? Sorry, I'm not up on my Latin. ;-) > > I've seen a few pianos where the mice had done damage to wooden parts such > as the keysticks, and chewed bridal straps, etc. Most of us are familiar > with that. > > But another thing that sometimes shows up is the results of their urination. > I had a Steinway 1098 a year or so back where the mice had 'peed' all over > the hammer return springs. Why? Who knows. But I found about a dozen or > so of them had basically disintegrated in the middle of the spring, where > they were 'peed' upon. Many more were ready to break. I ended up replacing > the whole set. The reason I mention it is, in part, because it's not > something that's necessarily evident without some pretty careful inspection. > > Just something else to look out for. > > As for the dampers not lifting very far, is it just that the pelican spring > is bending too far? Or is the bottom board flexing a lot? Some of these > things can be a real frustration to try to fix 'cause they weren't right > from new! Sometimes a new spring can help. Sometimes a small object under > the piano can help if there's too much flex...an old romance novel comes to > mind...(won't dent the floor..., and usually available in a variety of > thicknesses...). If you have to pull the action at some point, it might be > worth checking to see if there are problems where the damper lift rod is > attached, whether there might be some loose screws...? > > Don't you just "love" spinets??? > > Good luck, > > Brian Trout > Quarryville, PA > btrout@desupernet.net > > >
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