/steinway B

[David Skolnik]

At 07:36 PM 8/4/2008, you wrote:
>I have a customer with a B. (Nice to know isn't it...........) The 
>first damper after the first break is constantly clacking. I managed 
>a temporary fix which lasted about six months, but it's back to 
>noise making.  I'm of limited experience with such things, don't 
>have any double-layered felt, and would appreciate means by which 
>others have solved this little problem.
>thanks much
>les bartlett

>Actually I think it's clacking is mainly from the fact that the 
>bushing cloth in the damper guide rail wears very quickly from the 
>uneven pressure of the offset damper head and wire.
>les

>Thanks for info.  I would plug and redrill with trepidation, but 
>that seems the logical choice.
>les

Les -
With all due respect, things aren't adding up.  First, some 
additional information.  What vintage B?  What was your temporary 
solution?  Even if your assessment of bushing cloth wear is accurate, 
what is source of the clacking?  Wire against glue, or damper block 
against plate?  Did you extract the bushing cloth to determine where 
the wear were, was?   And, most importantly, why did your subject 
title begin with ' / '?

It makes no sense to me to plug and redrill, just because you think 
you don't have the correct material. Someone on the list must have 
had to do this and would have the measurements for the required cloth 
thickness.  You could shim with some kind of material.

I think it unlikely that the offset-ness of the damper would be the 
cause of wear, without the accompanying conditions Jon Page 
suggested.  However, while not relishing the thought of challenging Mr. Page,
>Clean and polish the wire and adjust the bends so that the wire travels
>straight in the bushing and not bearing on a side.

Steinway does instruct that those dampers should be bearing slightly 
towards the bass.  Check for this by pulling the head towards the 
treble and noting whether it springs back towards the bass side of 
the hole and, if so, with what force.  While not entirely correct, if 
the damper head IS hitting the plate, you could adjust the 'pressure 
bend' to bear against the treble side of the hole, and then adjust 
the top bends to reseat the damper felt.  Otherwise,  you can't start 
bending wires unless you do as Wim suggested: regluing felt.

If, on the other hand, the noise is due to a loose damper head or 
lead, please disregard the above.

David Skolnik
Hastings on Hudson, NY

and then, of course, there's grinding the plate.

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