noisy grand dampers

[A440A@aol.com]

Clyde writes:

<<  a 1993 Kawai KG-2A grand<>the client asked if anything
could be done about what I would call a type of
whoosh as the sustain pedal is depressed.   I used CLP on all the guide rail 
bushings, and that seemed to take care of that noise, but I think the other 
will not go away until the part of
the trichord dampers that goes down between the strings is trimmed away.
Is there any efficient and neat way to do this without removing the
dampers?  What procedure do I follow?
 >>
Greetings,
      It is possible, but I suspect that the remaining noise is more than 
excess felt.  If you watch the damper lift very carefully, you may see that the 
noise happens before the lower part of the wedges even clear the strings.  I 
think you are hearing felt rubbing on strings.  There are a couple of things 
that help, but they all need to be done with the dampers removed.  It isn't a big 
deal, but could make for a profitable 90 minutes or so.  You may want to 
simply try this on the trichord wedge notes.  They are the main culprits. 
  Clean the strings where the  contact is being made. A very slight bit of 
corrosion makes'em sing when the felt is pulled across them.  I usually use the 
finest steel wool I can get, followed by a heavy rub with a cloth.
   Go ahead and trim any long tails with surgical scissors or a blade in a 
steady hand.  And look for compacted matter where the string touches.  If you 
find it, clean it off with a sandpaper file.  You might want to run a voicing 
tool through some of the felt.   
   Decide if this is a job that calls for new felt. It happens. 
Good luck. 
 
Ed Foote RPT 
http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html
www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html
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