<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" = http-equiv=Content-Type> <META content="MSHTML 5.00.2919.6307" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV>Hi Willem. I serviced a Samick studio upright (about three years = old) about two weeks ago. The lady complained that the keys were so hard to push = compared to her piano teachers instrument. Indeed, down weight was around 65 to = 70 grams. I quickly narrowed troubles down to friction in the key bushings, and = excessive damper spring tension. What a world of difference it made when you push = the damper pedal down. Those damper springs were like the spring in a BIG = mouse trap (well, maybe a tiny exaggeration). I eased the keys, which made the = excessive damper trouble all the more obvious. I removed the action and went = through all the damper springs bending them back at the coil just a tad with my hart = spring tool. Worked great. Downweights back to around 50 grams, upweights = around 30 grams. I only had a little trouble with one damper not working well = after the spring tension reduction.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Mark: I simply reached between the hammer shanks and put a little = backwards pressure on the spring. It is not hard to do it too much, so be = gentle.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I do have to say though, that I have not noticed this in any piano = other than this particular one. I'm not sure if I would have even noticed/said = anything if the client had not chimed in with her complaint.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Terry Farrell<BR>Piano Tuning & Service<BR>Tampa, Florida<BR><A = href="mailto:mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com">mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com</A></DI= V> <BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: = 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A href="mailto:Wimblees@AOL.COM" = title=Wimblees@AOL.COM>Wimblees@AOL.COM</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org" title=pianotech@ptg.org>pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, February 26, 2001 = 7:27 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: vertical damper springs</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT size=2>In a = message dated 2/26/01 3:55:32 PM Central Standard Time, <BR><A href="mailto:Ritchiepiano@AOL.COM">Ritchiepiano@AOL.COM</A> writes: <BR><BR><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px" TYPE="CITE">List <BR>Does anyone have an efficient method to even = out spring tension <BR>on new vertical damper springs? <BR><BR>Mark Ritchie RPT = <BR><XMP></XMP></FONT><FONT color=#0f0f0f face=Arial lang=0 = size=2 = FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><BR><BR><BR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR></FONT></FONT><FONT color=#000000 face=Arial lang=0 size=2 = FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><BR>The question is, is it worth the trouble to adjust the damper spring tension? <BR>In = other words, how much effect does uneven damper spring tension have on the <BR>touch? <BR><BR><BR>Willem </FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>