a Baldwin damper noise

[Susan Kline]

Dear list --

Stumped. Wisdom needed: what do I look for next?

A good customer's newly rebuilt 1959 Baldwin L has developed a nasty
wooden-sounding tic on the first note in the tenor section, located
somewhere in the damper assembly. (It goes away when the right pedal is
depressed.) The piano has had substantial daily use for about 2-3 months,
since the rebuild, and this problem is new.

In spite of being apparently damper related, it seemed to get worse when the
soft pedal was used. Without the right keyblock to limit travel, it seemed
to get much worse.

When the action is removed, I can make it happen (louder) by slapping up the
underlever from beneath, by hand. I can make a similar noise on the top note
of the bass section, the same way, though that note is quiet when the action
plays the note. None of the neighboring dampers will make the sound.

There was also a small jingle, that I was able to remove by bending the
wire. This damper head is the one that hangs way forward to avoid the plate,
and it was juddering quite a bit. The damper head seems firmly attached to
the wire. Damping is good. The damper screw was firmly tightened. The wire
was a little chewed up, but smoothing and polishing it made no difference.
The underlever didn't SEEM to be anywhere near anything else. The damper
head and wire were visibly not touching anything else, including the
neighboring damper head. I thought it was clacking against the neighbor by
coming up crooked (that's the kind of sound it was) but it didn't come
anywhere near.

The damper upstop rail has fresh felt, and is firmly screwed in place. (at
the right height.)

So far I haven't taken the underlever out and repinned it. It seems very
free but not downright sloppy.

I find it suggestive that it is the damper right next to the plate, but
_what_ it is suggesting is beyond me. It certainly isn't touching the plate
at any time.

I'm going back within a week or so, to try again. (Never say die.) I'd love
to have something new to try or look for!


Susan Kline
skline@proaxis.com
P.O. Box 1651,
Philomath, OR 97370


"Nature favors the hidden flaw."