Damper Ringing

[Roger Jolly]

Hi Terry,
              Do you have damper follow?  Press on the bass strings to make
sure that the dampers follow the string for about 1/8".  If you had the
action out, it may not have gone back into the exact same position. 
Just some thought's.
Roger


At 09:25 PM 06/10/00 -0400, you wrote:
>Had a negative experience today. Don't get many in this business.
>
>I got a call the other day from a lady with a 1972 Story & Clark console
>(good condition) that I had tuned this past August. She said the piano seems
>louder that before I tuned it and it kinda echos. I figured I must have
>adjusted the damper pedal a bit too tight and the dampers were not fully
>seating. I have tuned the piano twice. I went to the piano today. The
>dampers were indeed not effectively stopping bass string vibration. The left
>pedal for the bass dampers was a bit too tight - there was no play in the
>pedal. So I let a little play into that pedal and let a bit more into the
>sustain pedal just to be sure that my adjustments were not too tight. These
>adjustments seemed to make for less ringing, although there is definately
>still more ringing than normal (if I mute the bass strings with my hand
>there is no ringing).
>
>The piano owner says it didn't ring before I tuned it last. I certainly
>don't remember if it did or not. My guess is most people that own console
>pianos would not consider the ringing a problem. But it definately does
>ring. It would drive me nuts (I guess it is!). I told her that I didn't do
>anything with the dampers and it is most likely that they were ringing
>before I tuned it - she just may notice it now because the pedal was a bit
>tight and that made it ring more.
>
>Her bass dampers are just beginning to buzz when you release the key, and
>the damper springs seem quite weak to me. It doesn't suprise me that they
>ring. I told her that to fix it, she would have to replace damper felt and
>springs.
>
>My question is: Is there anything I could have done that has made a
>non-ringing piano have damper leaks? This is really bugging me, because I
>think it is likely that she thinks I goofed up her piano. I always want to
>make right anything I might screw up. Thanks for any thoughts.
>
>Terry Farrell
>Piano Tuning & Service
>Tampa, Florida
>mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com
> 
Roger Jolly
Saskatoon, Canada.
306-665-0213
Fax 652-0505