[pianotech] sustain

[wimblees at aol.com]

Ed

You've gotten some good ideas. You say there was a little improvement when you needle voiced them. Try to do that some more. Sometimes a little just isn't enough. 


Willem (Wim) Blees, RPT
Piano Tuner/Technician
Mililani, Oahu, HI
808-349-2943
Author of: 
The Business of Piano Tuning
available from Potter Press
www.pianotuning.com


-----Original Message-----
From: Ed Carwithen <edwcarw at yahoo.com>
To: Piano Tech List <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Sat, 21 Mar 2009 7:09 am
Subject: [pianotech] sustain







I have a problem with a new Kawai console piano. Maybe someone can help me diagnose the situation.

?

I am the only tech to have worked on this piano which is two years old.? The A6 A#6 notes have almost no sustain.? The owner did not notice this problem until just recently, and I did not notice this previously, so I have to assume this is something that has developed rather than inherent from the beginning.

?

These notes are above the dampers so that isn't part of the problem.?? The notes below the A seem fine.? The notes above them seem fine.? There seems to be nothing inhibiting the strings themselves.? I can't see anything on the strings, or touching the strings to dampen the sound.? I tapped the strings to the bridge to be sure that the termination points were solid.? I put some solution on the hammers to harden them thinking that maybe the hammer felt might be too soft.? That didn't make any difference.? I then voiced with needles, and it seems to have made some minor improvement, but not enough.? 

?

It seems that two things would affect the sustain; something inhibiting the string resonance, or the hammer voicing.? I have tried to address both of these and haven't managed to solve it.? 

?

Any Ideas????

?

Ed Carwithen

John Day.






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