John D needs no one to speak for him, but part of his point has been subverted. People may differ as to their inclination to retrofit such micro-devices in the course of their rebuilding work, but this shouldn't represent an excuse to avoid developing the requisite skills for finely regulating a 'traditional' damper mechanism. David Skolnik Balmy Hastings on Hudson, NY At 04:41 PM 12/24/2008, you wrote: >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 > > > > > >-- >No virus found in this incoming message. >Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.552 / Virus Database: 270.10.0/1862 - >Release Date: 12/23/2008 12:08 PM
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