echoes in schidmayer upright

[D.L. Bullock]

I have seen several good suggestions here.  On pianos that old
(1885)sometimes there is nothing you can do.  They were designed with more
residual ring than modern pianos today normally have.  There were some
pianos with linen dampers not felt.  I suspect the restoration included
modern felt damper materials as few people know how to make linen dampers or
would want to.  The new dampers may be the same size as original but they
are usually smaller than would be used today.  The list is below.  If you
have checked everything on the list, then declare the piano an historic
instrument and learn to love it just the way it is.  I very much agree with
Stephen of Stephen Birkett Fortepianos  (Authentic Reproductions of 18th and
19th Century Pianos)

However, here is my list:

1. Add felt or string braid between bridge pins and aliquots (if any) or
hitch pins.  Weave it into the strings so that every other string is above
the braid or felt.  Notes or unisons do not matter here, just strings.  On
rare cases, also weave it through the strings between the aliquot and the
hitch pin.
2. Check damper springs for strength--may need new ones or stronger ones.
3. Check damper head placement for correct wire bending.  When the action
moves out of the piano the dampers should push out to a spot behind the
string in relation to the hammer.  In other words, when the action is almost
in place and is pressed back to its rest position, the dampers should touch
the strings before the action comes to rest against the brackets.
4.  On rare, rare cases you may need to weave string braid through the
strings below the lowest horizontal row of tuning pins and above the
pressure bar.  In one grand I had to put braid between the Capo T'asto bar
and the un felted pressure bar nearer the tuning pins.
5.  Pay particular attention to bass strings as they put out some very high
harmonics when stimulated to vibrate sympathetically.  They will fool you
into thinking the problem is in the treble.

Good luck,

D.L. Bullock
www.thepianoworld.com
St. Louis

------Original message----------------
Subject: echoes in schidmayer upright

Dear all,

I am an owner and player of a schiemayer upright,
obligque strung underdamped piano.  It was made in
1885 by J. and P. Schiemayer and has a highly
decorated ebonised case.  It has alledgely been the
piano of the Irish Composer Sir Hamilton Harty. The
piano has been fully restored in an excellent manner.
In the process the soundboard was repaired,
restringing and repinning and the action has been
completely rebuilt including hammers, new damperfelts
and springs.  The tone and touch of the piano are
quite magnificent and after the restoration it is much
richer, dynamic and powerful.  The problem is that
there is a residual echo in it.  Even when I talk near
it when the piano is closed it reverberates.  This is
annoying given the excellent tone.  Whenever I move
from loud play into pianissimo the echo annoys. The
restorer maintains that as a matter of design the
dampers are perhaps too small and too high up so there
are still live strings although the damping system
operates as best it can.

As this is the "missing bit" and whichis nagging, I
would appreciate any advice from anyone who had that
experience before.  My gut feeling is that for such a
supremely constructed piano there should be no
residual echo left or if there is should me very
minimal indeed.

thank you all in advance

Oren

D.L. Bullock
www.thepianoworld.com
St. Louis