Steinway damper

[Richard Moody]

>Some of the dampers had two fishing weights, one on
> front and the other at the back.  The dampers seem to work OK so I left
them
> alone (I'm no fool)
> My question is: Is this a last-ditch, acceptable repair technique or an
> amateurish attempt to quiet  ringing dampers?

Dear No Fool,  ; )
It depends on the player.  If there is no noticible difference in touch
between dampers with weights and dampers with out them, then yes who could
argue this is not acceptable?  Following this line, why then are not grand
damper heads made to accept weights if this works so well?    ---ric  (who
has seen quarters taped to damper heads)






----- Original Message -----
From: pryan2 <pryan2@the-beach.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Monday, May 08, 2000 6:24 AM
Subject: Steinway damper


> I was servicing a very ornate Steinway D (hand painted/carved/gold
in-laid)
> in an exclusive  restaurant and noticed ugly fishing weights glued
securely
> on top of  several damper heads. Some of the dampers had two weights one
on
> front and the other at the back.  The dampers seem to work OK so I left
them
> alone (I'm no fool).
>
> My question is: Is this a last-ditch, acceptable repair technique or an
> amateurish attempt to quiet  ringing dampers?  I would think that a damper
> problem on such a piano could/should be solved in a more professional way
or
> at least put the weights inside the underlever system. Does it ever come
to
> a point where this technique is necessary?   I've always WANTED to solve
it
> this way, but questioned whether it is  an acceptable repair technique.
> Did I miss a chapter in my piano-tech edjication?
>
> Phil Ryan
> Miami Beach
>
>
>
>