Upright damper work - newbie seeks opinions, please . . .

[John Ross]

In some of the pianos of the teens and twenties, resonance was a desired thing, or so I have heard.
For that reason, the dampers were intentionally placed, slightly off the optimum spot. That is my assumption, which may or may not be correct.
John M. Ross
Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada.
jrpiano at win.eastlink.ca
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Joe And Penny Goss 
  To: Pianotech List 
  Sent: Tuesday, July 25, 2006 12:20 PM
  Subject: Re: Upright damper work - newbie seeks opinions, please . . .


  Hi,
  When reshaping the hammers and then regulating the hammer distance/taking up lost motion, The dampers loose some length of travel.
  This results sometimes in there not being enough damper pressure on the strings to damp them.
  To check the feel of the damper springs in the piano, raise the dampers with the pedal and gently work a group of dampers, pulling them back and releasing them.
  Feel for uneveness of spring tension. Usually you will find nothing is wrong. 
  If there is no follow of the damper when the string associated with that damper is pressed away from the damper, the damper can not do its job, whether new or old. Replacing the damper will not help.
  Joe Goss RPT
  Mother Goose Tools
  imatunr at srvinet.com
  www.mothergoosetools.com
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: KeyKat88 at aol.com 
    To: pianotech at ptg.org 
    Sent: Tuesday, July 25, 2006 8:45 AM
    Subject: Re: Upright damper work - newbie seeks opinions, please . . .


    Greetings, 

                I would think that a 1957 model piano , unless its been played the heck out of or near extreme moist or heat/hot conditions, shouldnt need new damper levers or blocks. With out seeing the situation, I would say just replace the felts. 

                In an old turn of the century upright, I can see possibly because of years and years of dried out wood and/or the center pin centers are loose, or a moist condition where the damper head block glue was compromised, or so much use that the springs are bad, then  yes perhaps you want to replace the heads or even whole lever. My father who was an auto mechanic taught me a valuable lesson: dont fix what aint broke.

               TO test if the damper springs are still decent, press on the piano string, the damper should follow the string, if nopt the springs are shot.

    Julia Gottshall
    Reading, PA

    In a message dated 7/25/2006 2:08:21 AM Eastern Standard Time, tvaktvak at sbcglobal.net writes:
        It's a 1957 Knabe console with multiple wimpy dampers coming unglued.  Should I replace just the felts or the entire damper assembly and, if so [either way], which/whose should I use.  I realize my times will be about double what JG's Labor Guide says but I want to do it right because it's a regular client and nice lady.  Thanks in advance.


        Jim Frazee
        914.763.8689
        Offlist at:  jimfrazee at msn.com
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