<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2963" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Greetings,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I worked on a piano today that sounds more like a banjo than like a piano, especially (but not only) near the upper treble break.  In trying to diagnose the root cause of it I shaped suspect hammers, needled hammers, steamed them (mellowed the attack but still sounded like it had a head cold) switched hammers with neighbors, leveled and seated strings, and even replaced the action with another identical action that I had in my garage which had better hammers.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>It's an 1894 Kimball upright, with vertical ribs.  No real sign of rib separation, but there are some soundboard cracks.  I took my rocker-type downbearing guage and determined that at some points, especially, but not <EM>only</EM>, near the upper break (the bridge is complete and NOT notched there, btw) there seems to be really <EM>zero</EM> downbearing.  At other points, there is about .008" clearance between the rocker end and the string.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Humidity in the room was 28-31% while I was there.  Customer runs a humidifier in the room at night for 1.5 hours each night for his guitar.  The humidifier is about 15 feet away.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Is that 107 year-old soundboard just a goner?  Would a DamppChaser help?  Any other thoughts?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Thanks for your input,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>John Dorr</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Helena, MT</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>