damper problem (probably just stupidity on my part)

[barr8345@bellsouth.net]

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment
Tom,
I had this problem once and it turned out to be reverberation in the =
paneled room. Just something to keep in mind.
Norm Barrett
Memphis Chapter
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Tvak@aol.com=20
  To: pianotech@ptg.org=20
  Sent: Tuesday, November 30, 2004 9:33 PM
  Subject: damper problem (probably just stupidity on my part)


  List

  I don't think anyone can help me with this, but here goes...

  I replaced the damper felts on an Acrosonic spinet.  My initial =
diagnosis and decision to replace the damper felts was based on the =
familiar sound of ringing after notes were played.  I did notice that =
the spoons were lifting most of the dampers very early, preventing some =
of the dampers from having good contact pressure with the string, but I =
found a few that were OK and when I checked them, they didn't dampen =
very well, either, so I decided that the felt (which was original to =
this 1940s piano) needed replacing.  It was my hope that the additional =
height from the new felt would remedy the spoon lift timing, but if not =
I was ready to regulate those suckers, too.

  When I put the action back in the piano I found that the dampening is =
not much better.  But why?
       1. There is follow through on all the dampers.  (In case I'm not =
clear, I mean that the damper will
            move with the string when the string is pressed toward the =
soundboard, indicating that there    =20
            is proper pressure for the damper to dampen the string.)
       2. The spoons are indeed lifting at the proper time, and so they =
are not impeding the damper levers from pressing                against =
the strings.   (There is follow through.)=20
       3. The damper pedal is not holding the dampers away from the =
strings.  (Again, there is follow=20
            through.)
       4. The dampers are seated well on the strings.  It's not a string =
level issue.  (It's not one of the
            three strings on a trichord, for instance.  It's all of them =
equally.)
       5. The dampers are aligned to the strings properly.  The bichords =
dampen both strings equally, the trichords dampen all           three =
equally.  Just not enough, it seems.

  They do all dampen somewhat.  I mean, it's not like the pedal is down. =
 But there is definitely sound after the keys are returned to the up =
position.  It sounds just about the same as it did before I replaced =
them!  (A second question might be, who among you would charge this =
woman for your work?  I won't, until I can get it to sound better.)

  I did file the hammers, which were heavily groovy, man.  I didn't =
change the hammer blow distance though, due to the spoons initially =
being on the early side, I thought it was best to just leave it as is.  =
I was happy that the spoon lift was OK with the new damper felts.  I =
hate regulating spoons.  I didn't do anything else to the piano, other =
than replace a few bridle straps.
      =20
  I'm going back on Saturday to check it out, and see if perhaps the =
felt has started to conform to the contour of the strings and dampen =
better, but if they don't, then what?  I'll try dampening all the treble =
strings that have no dampers with a towel and see if the ringing goes =
away, but I don't think it will.

  Any ideas?  Is there something I've not thought of?  Any diagnostic =
procedures that might shed light on this?

  Thanks in advance,=20

  Tom Sivak
  Chicago PTG Associate

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/be/01/34/83/attachment.htm

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--