[CAUT] # of dampers on a D

[Kent Swafford]

This is a continuing story. Some of you will remember.

When pointed out to a rebuilder that his rebuilt D had fewer than the 
standard number of dampers, a rep of the rebuilder wrote:


"Regarding the dampers, I wonder if any pianists have registered a 
complaint. Our technicians (as well as many others) always remove the 
top three in full and semi-concert grands. The reason is that pianists 
(myself included) often find that the piano sound needs to ring more in 
that upper register (especially to balance the bass) and that it is a 
design flaw to have those dampers at all. The change of sound with 
those three dampers in place is very sudden and unpleasant when one 
plays up the scale, especially since that register is so thin to begin 
with. In order to make the transition smoother, we remove the top 
three, and then take some felt off the last damper in the treble so 
that it dampens only partially. That way there is no sudden change. I 
have seen many D's in concert hall prepared that way (even by Steinway 
factory-trained technicians), so it is not at all unusual."


I'm just checking, since I have never heard that the D has dampers that 
go too far up the scale.

But if I did receive such a complaint, it would be relatively simple to 
temporarily disable as many top dampers as needed.

On the other hand, if a pianist complains that the piano dampers don't 
go as high in the scale as other D's, there is nothing I as a field 
tech could do to add more dampers to the shorter than normal tray and 
guide rail.

So I would prefer to have all the dampers that a D normally has. No?


Kent