[pianotech] Followup on problem damping of Steinway L

[erwinspiano at aol.com]

Well Done!!!!!
  Dale


-----Original Message-----
From: Will Truitt <surfdog at metrocast.net>
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Sent: Tue, 30 Dec 2008 4:00 pm
Subject: [pianotech] Followup on problem damping of Steinway L




To my cheerful assistants:

 

Having digested all the wonderful advice you lovely folks so generously shared with me yesterday, I went back to the customer’s house today to reinstall the back action and dampers.  What I decided to do was install the damper return springs on the tray up to note 54, and adjust them to the gram resistance values detailed in the Renner booklet, using the Corex gauge.  I also chose to yank off all the old new Tokiwa felt, and replace it with Laoureaux.  

 

I am pleased to report that the combination of the two made a dramatic difference.  The WHUMP is gone, and the HAAAA is now haaaa.  That is to say that these kinds of damper noise fall  well within the range of what we would consider “normal” for new damper felt.   Strumming the bass strings with the dampers at rest elicits no lasting overtones.  Damper noise when I drop the damper head onto the string is “normal”, although I wish the monochords were just a little quieter.  But they are dramatically quieter than before, and we are always hoping for it to be a little better anyway.  So I will say that these efforts were successful, and the customer is pleased.  

 

Dale, I elected not to check out20and possibly relocate the pin in the manner you suggested.  I did do the “magic line” when I set the back action up originally, and I was comfortable with how everything lay out when I was done.  I have not done enough back actions to do this setup work with any speed yet, I would be introducing a new element to the equation, and I was already losing a day to do the work I ended up doing.  So I took the chance that my good work I had done by a “conventional” methodology would be adequate.   But I promise to try to “kick it up a notch” on my next back action.  Thanks for giving me the next level to aspire to.

 

I’m letting the new felt seat and the adjustments to settle, and I’ll go back next week to reregulate the dampers as needed.

 

Will Truitt

 

 

 

 

   


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