Bass Dampers/Sustain Pedal Problem

[Gordon Holley]

Hello List.  
Tuned a Keller Bros upright, 1917, which hadn't been tuned in 15 
years.  A2 through A5, 85 cents flat, A6 135 cents flat. Pitch raise 
and fine tuning in 3 very slow passes, no rust and no broken strings, 
pins set fine, no jumpy pins.  
	PROBLEM - dampers from the tenor/bass break, down to A0, would lift 
in a long diagonal sweep, from the break - only a little, down to A0 -
 nothing.  Dampers from the break up through tenor and treble lifted 
together from the strings with no problems.  
	I did tune the strings by holding the dampers away from the strings, 
striking the key, moving the pins. I explained the problem and 
demonstrated it to the owner so that they did understand why there 
was no sustain in the bass and the played notes sounded with a 
"thud".
	Will return to the piano as soon as I have some clue as to what to 
look for and correct. Teen age piano student that does practice every 
day, but she says seldom "gets down there".  
	Having never come upon this problem and not finding any example of 
it in trouble shooting sections of my library, I need some direction 
on the possible cause.
	I have searched the archives, have read back through hundreds of 
filed posts that I have on damper and pedal problems and find nothing 
on this problem.
	Advance thanks to any help.

Gordon Holley
Goshen, IN
Associate Member
Indiana Chapter 467