<HTML>In a message dated 1/31/03 4:09:39 AM Pacific Standard Time, mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Did the top of the pinblock area allow for inspection? Dampers not lifting from strings and hammers blocking and all this happening over a short period of time are consistent with pinblock/backpost separation (and pretty major at that). If there is veneer or something covering this area I would suggest measuring the width of the back to plate dimension in numerous places along the top - should be consistent width all along the top. Presumably the pitch would also drop with a moving plate/pinblock. Where was the pitch (and I don't mean low, high, outside, inside or strike or fast or slow!)? >From your description of this occurring over a short period of time, SOMETHING has moved. Did they mention dropping it down the stairs? </BLOCKQUOTE> I examined it for foul play.  Nothing cracked, broken, out of place.  I took the action out twice and re-seated it(first thing I did, actually, still hoping to make it an hour and a half job at this point).  I was really amazed at how well it played after regulation and how good it sounded after pitch raise and tuning. The factory regulations on Seilers are generally very precise; the let-off is set quite close to the string--not much margin for environmental change.  I've had it happen where there were a few notes bubbling on these(easy enough to figure out), but never anything like this. There really WAS no damper issue, it's just that the hammers were blocking so hard against the strings, they were acting as dampers!   Another thing that was really strange and I forgot to mention was how the inharmonicity readings came out on my Pocket TuneLab:  really weird!  I went to set the stretch, and the template was completely askew.  The file was unusable.  I tried to take readings again, same result.  Don't know if the program is failing(I took the readings AFTER the pitch raise), or if it is indeed pointing out some big problem in the piano.  I'll have to test it on a more stable instrument this morning.  Forgot to take readings when I was done with the job...:-( I've contacted Seiler to tell them what happened and explain that I would keep an eye on that piano over the next few months for further irregularities.  It still has a few years left on it's warranty. And I've recommended Dampp-Chaser humidity control.  They  have the money.  Most pianos in this area really don't need them, but this seems to be an exception. I fear finding inches of lost motion and a severely flat piano on my next trip out.... Thanks for the responses, Dave</HTML>