Steinway Sostenuto

[Gene Nelson]

My problem with the sostenuto was that dampers would skip past the blade 
when pedal is fully depressed with fff blow.
I had to adjust the blade to a bit more than 45 deg to make it ok in this 
respect.
What did I miss?
I made my own version of the Steinway tool and it works ok for getting the 
blade the same height as the tabs.
Did not have a problem with anything else.
Any advice would be apperciated.
Gene Nelson
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ric Brekne" <ricbrek at broadpark.no>
To: <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2006 9:03 AM
Subject: Steinway Sostenuto


> Joe G writes
> People,
> What's with all this? You need to have the proper TOOL for checking the 
> sostenuto. It is available from Steinway. Sheesh!  But then, ya need to 
> know how it is used.<G>
> Joseph Garrett, R.P.T.
> ------------------------
>
> Well.. ok.. you dont like my explanation... well heres Newtons from a few 
> years back... I fail to see the big fundemental diff... but maybe you dooo 
> :)
>
> Cheers
> RicB
>
>
> Hi, All,
>      I have had many frustrating years of trying to adjust that sustonuto
> but finally developed a workable method.
>      Using an appropriate tool, I use a machinists surface gauge, and
> measure or set to the very point of the tab at a section end and set the
> elevation of the blade at that section end to that height.  If the blade 
> is not
> at approximately 45 degrees make it so.  After each section end has been 
> set
> replace the action (Steinway) and step upon the sustain pedal then the
> sustonuto and tap the damper heads to see if any fall through.  Adjust the 
> rail
> inward for those that do fall through.  Next make sure no dampers are 
> being
> raised or ticked by the blade when depressing the sustonuto alone.  Next
> depress the sustonuto pedal the play notes FFF in each section.
>      Finally if the sustonuto is raising the dampers too much higher than
> the keys do make appropriate adjustments.
>      Check everything again.
>      This is time consuming, but it works.
>            Newton
>            nhunt at rci.rutgers.edu
>
>