[pianotech] Kawai GS-50 damper tray

[Laura Olsen]

Thanks, Ger.

On Jan 31, 2012, at 10:07 AM, Gerald Groot wrote:

> I've encountered the same thing in the past Laura.  The wooden blocks that
> Don speaks of were the problem in my case.  But, with pianos, anything is
> possible.  :)
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
> Of Laura Olsen
> Sent: Monday, January 30, 2012 11:51 PM
> To: pianotech at ptg.org
> Subject: Re: [pianotech] Kawai GS-50 damper tray
> 
> Hi Don,
> Thank you so much for getting back to me with this advice.  I tightened the
> screws that hold the damper flange rail to the belly rail.  I'll have to
> tightened the screws on the wood pivot blocks. I didn't see the screws.  Now
> I know why.  I thought about the damper leaver lead weights, particularly
> since some notes rattle when the damper lever is dropped back on to the
> damper tray.  The relative humidity in the room was 25%.  I'll bet it's both
> the wood pivot blocks and some of the damper leaver lead weights.
> 
> OK.  I'm going back in.  (They don't call 'em Damn pers for nothin'!)
> 
> Laura
> 
> On Jan 30, 2012, at 6:01 PM, Don Mannino wrote:
> 
>> Laura,
>> 
>> I'm not clear what you mean by this: " I tightened the screws that 
>> hold the damper tray to the belly rail."
>> There are 2 aluminum rails, the damper flange rail and the damper tray 
>> itself.  The tray is mounted with wood pivot blocks that then are 
>> pinned to the flange rail.  The flange rails is screwed to the belly rail.
>> 
>> During dry weather, it is common for the wood damper tray blocks to 
>> become loose.  The screws that hold these to the tray are vertical, and
> are hidden.
>> 
>> They can be tightened with a right-angle screwdriver if you have just 
>> the right length Phillips style driver.  Otherwise you remove the 
>> sostenuto rod, raise the upstop rail all the way up, then remove the 
>> screws that hold the flange rail to the cross block / belly rail.  
>> Once those are out, you can ease the whole damper system forward, tighten
> the screws, and ease it back.
>> 
>> Another source of rattles can be damper leaver lead weights.  You can 
>> squeeze them tight if you have the right kind of pliers to fit, or you 
>> can apply drops of C/A glue to the weights to lock them in.
>> 
>> Don Mannino RPT
>> Director, Field Services
>> Kawai America
>> www.kawaius.com
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On 
>> Behalf Of Laura Olsen
>> Sent: Monday, January 30, 2012 2:33 PM
>> To: pianotech at ptg.org
>> Subject: [pianotech] Kawai GS-50 damper tray
>> 
>> I found a problem I couldn't solve while I was at the piano and I thought:
>> "I know, I'll use a "life line" and ask the experts!"  You are my
> "experts"
>> so here goes:
>> 
>> It's a  Kawai GS-50 with a rattle in the damper tray when you release 
>> the sustain pedal.  When I lift and drop certain damper blocks I can 
>> kind of duplicate the rattle in the aluminum rail.
>> 
>> I tightened the screws that hold the damper tray to the belly rail.  I 
>> checked damper under lever screws.  I tightened the screws in the 
>> damper blocks the hold the damper wires.  The tabs aren't hitting the sos.
> rod and
>> the Sostenuto rod bracket screws are tight.   The damper under lever
> screws
>> are tight.
>> 
>> What am I missing?
>> 
>> Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
>> 
>> Laura Olsen
>> 
>> 
>> 
>