<HTML> <HEAD> <TITLE>Re: Steinway Sustain</TITLE> </HEAD> <BODY> Hi Tony, All I can say about it is this : For many years discussions have been going on about this very difficult are= a. I myself have had my share and that's why I answer your question. This instrument is young enough to, at least, improve the difficulty. How? = It always comes to this : Perfect regulation, perfect tuning, perfect voicin= g. When an instrument is basically healthy, this should, and must, always do= the trick. Of course the D is not so healthy anymore so I suppose the insta= lling of new hammers would be a major improvement. If that is not feasable, = the above (Perfect regulation, perfect tuning, perfect voicing) is number on= e, plus a very thorough job of fitting the hammer surfaces to the strings. A= last hint : make the let off 1 mm over all. Sustain will improve, that's fo= r sure. friendly greetings, André Oorebeek <BLOCKQUOTE> From: "Tony Caught" <caute@optusnet.com.au> Reply-To: pianotech@ptg.org Date: Sun, 15 Apr 2001 17:34:05 +0930 To: <pianotech@ptg.org> Subject: Steinway Sustain </BLOCKQUOTE> <BLOCKQUOTE>Hi List, There are some of you out there that would know the answer to this problem.= Need help. Steinway D model, about 18 years old. This piano has always had a problem i= n the treble from about F5 to B6.  Tone is hard and sustain is short.<B= R> Over the years I have tried voicing the hammers and can balance the tone, b= ut, to the expense of the sustain, this drops of even more. Today I had a note left by the visiting European pianist,  Michael Leu= schner (prior to my visit) asking that I voice the treble, especially betwee= n B & B. "The sound is hard and doesn't last long enough" B6 i= sn't bad. I needled the surface area to even out the tone through this area and the p= ianist was happy with the result (needs this area as he is playing Mozart &a= mp; Chopin) but, I really want to fix this problem and because I now have a = note from the 'teacher' I have an excuse to fix it. What is the problem ?  I have my thoughts but I only work on 1 Steinwa= y, some one must know what is causing this to happen. Regards Tony Caught ICPTG Australia caute@optusnet.com.au </BLOCKQUOTE> </BODY> </HTML>