Pianotech

  • 1.  Steinway Sostenuto Pedal problems

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 08-17-2017 20:22
    Hello All,

    I just had to inspect two pianos, the second of which is a 1920s Steinway. After getting the action in successfully, the owner pointed out that the sosentuto pedal wasn't working all the way. For the next hour and a half I struggled to get that thing working. Every time I got the action in the right place so the keys, dampers, and sostenuto all worked correctly, putting the check blocks in moved the action forward (towards the pianist) and out of alinement. Then I tried to adjust the position of the action with the key blocks in place, but it wouldn't slide forward or backwards at all. I ended up having to leave it with only half the dampers working under the sos, with a promise to return next week. 

    Help! How do I get this to work?

    Thanks in advance and I'll keep you posted,

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    Benjamin Sanchez
    Professional Piano Services
    (805)315-8050
    www.professional-piano-services.com
    BenPianoPro@comcast.net
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  • 2.  RE: Steinway Sostenuto Pedal problems

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 08-18-2017 07:36

    Call or email Steinway parts dept. and get yourself a copy of their Technical Reference Guide. The procedure for sostenuto regulation if fully covered, along with lots of other very useful information. They also sell a tool used to adjust the height of the sostenuto blade on NY Steinways.

     

    Meanwhile, for simple in/out adjustments of the blade, first remove the shank/hammer on either side of each of the four lower scale breaks. This will allow you to look down through the strings with the action in position and see the interaction between the blade and the sos tabs. Loosen each of the sos brackets just enough so that you can tap them in and out with a long blade screwdriver reaching down through the strings. You want the blade to just catch the tabs on any dampers raised by either the sustain pedal or individual depressed keys. Then tighten the brackets and reinstall the removed shank/hammers.

     

    Mark

     

    Sent from Mail for Windows 10

     




    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Steinway Sostenuto Pedal problems

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 08-18-2017 12:00
    The sostenuto is adjusted with sostenuto rod brackets, not by pushing the entire keyboard and action in and out. The position of the action on the treble side determines the strike point and is critical for good tone. To make the sostenuto work, you need to adjust the sostenuto brackets fore and aft (loosen two screws that hold each bracket on the action frame and slide the bracket a small amount) or bend them so the sostenuto rod clears sostenuto tabs when dampers are down but catches them when they are up. Steinway sells a tool for adjusting the sostenuto, but an ordinary damper adjustment tool will work too. I would recommend reading on this in Steinway's service manual. I also describe this procedure in Pianos Inside Out.

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    Mario Igrec
    http://www.pianosinsideout.com
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Steinway Sostenuto Pedal problems

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 08-20-2017 10:55
    When I get a problem like this the first thing I ask myself as a shortcut to a solution is: what is the most likely cause of the problem?  The likelihood that the sustenudo rod is out of position is not the first thing I would look at.  That would be the adjustment of the sustenudo pedal.  Often I find that it is simply not rotating enough to engage the tabs because there is too much lost motion.  Try this first--you won't even need to pull the action.  If that doesn't work, proceed to fiddle with the position of the sustenudo rod, but before you go down that path, use a sharpie or something to mark the position of the supports on the action brackets so you don't go making things irretrievably worse.   It is useful to have a transfer jig.   Here's what it looks like.

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    Cecil Snyder
    Torrance CA
    310-542-7108
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Steinway Sostenuto Pedal problems

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 08-22-2017 07:57
    Mr. Snyder,

    that is one fine looking jig. Would you mind explaining how you use it?

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    Karl Roeder
    Pompano Beach FL
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Steinway Sostenuto Pedal problems

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 08-23-2017 21:36
    Thank you, Karl.   The transfer jig enables you to duplicate the position of the damper underlever both at rest and when the sustain pedal is depressed while the action is outside the action bay on your work bench.  You can thus adjust the vertical position of the sostenuto rod more easily than by trial and error.  The in-and-out bit  (i.e. the horizontal position) still needs to be done in the piano with the cheek blocks in place as Mario described.

    Credit for this idea goes to David Hughes, RPT, whose excellent articles on grand dampers appeared in the Journal in 2014.

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    Cecil Snyder
    Torrance CA
    310-542-7108
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    Original Message