Stop rails

Alan Forsyth alanforsyth@fortune4.fsnet.co.uk
Thu, 3 Apr 2003 20:22:19 +0100


> Could someone please enlighten me as to the purpose of Jack Stop Rails. I
> hate those things and have been removing them for many years w/o any
problem
> occurring after the fact.

In this part of the world these are known as slap rails, jack slap rail,
damper slap rail and in many old German pianos in the late 19thC key slap
rails. These are for conditions where the piano is being played at extreme
velocities, almost viciously and abusively. I have only come across this
problem once when playing a piano without a damper slap rail and the
reaction of the dampers and associated noise was horrible. In traditional
American actions there is no jack slap rail but instead there is a felt
cushion behind the balance hammer below the tape aperture.

Regards
Alan Forsyth
Edinburgh


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