At 09:12 -0800 24/12/08, Thomas Cole wrote: >I see nothing wrong with a fine adjustment on dampers which are >affixed to the top blocks with a rather crude method. I find that >performers are getting more and more critical about damper >performance including having all the notes of a chord stop >simultaneously at a slow release of the pedal. Fine adjustment >capability is critical to get to that Nth degree, IMHO. > >If it's getting a new back action, it doesn't take much to add this >nice feature. Well I'm sure that between 1870 and 1965, or whenever some makers started adding these things, there were one or two fussy performers who could be perfectly satisfied with the dampers regulated as they were then and continue to be in most cases. Provided the damper wires are properly straightened and re-filed I find it possible to do the work just as precisely as with all these new-fangled extras, which frankly I detest. Grand damper work is slow and tiresome in any case. I've never met anybody who loves regulating grand dampers with or without articulated damper drops and spoons and capstans and whatever other gizmos. If you fit capstans, then you have to fit spoons too if you want to get everything perfect, and in the end nothing is likely to be perfect. I don't expect to change anyone's habits by these deprecating comments, but I bet there are one or two lurkers on the list who fully share my opinions! Happy Christmas to all! JD >John Delacour wrote: >>At 12:29 -0800 23/12/08, Gene Nelson wrote: >> >>>The 10-24 machine bolts are sounding better all the time. >> >>Even better to me sounds the idea of leaving everything as it is >>and just regulating the dampers. Sure, nobody likes dampers, but >>learning how to do a good job on them is a far better investment >>than wasting time botching just one piano only to have the same >>dilemma when the next damper job comes along. >> >>JD
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC