Pianotech

  • 1.  Bass damper thump question

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 06-14-2020 13:46
    1926 Steinway A. It's OK. Bass dampers feel harder than the plain wire dampers. All dampers feel weighted and heavy. The problem is that whenever the sustain pedal is released the bass dampers, together, make a fairly loud "thunk" when they land. At first I thought it might be the damper tray hitting bottom, but holding the dampers up with the sostonuto pedal prevents the "thunk" when releasing the sustain pedal. Thump does not happen with the plain wire dampers. My current thought is to just replace the bass dampers with new ones, but I thought I would check in here for your ideas first.

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    Geoff Sykes, RPT
    Los Angeles CA
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  • 2.  RE: Bass damper thump question

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 06-14-2020 14:05
    Never rebuilt? 94 years old? Yeah you are in California but here in the Northeast remanufacturing would be past due.
    Tgat aside, perhaps give them an estimate for replacing the whole set of dampers & rebush the guide rail. Then start with the bass section and see if that's enough. Maybe there's too much lead in the levers?

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    Patrick Draine
    Billerica MA
    978-663-9690
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  • 3.  RE: Bass damper thump question

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 06-14-2020 14:16
    Geoff

    Sounds like a pretty straight forward solution to the thunk problem. Not hard to do, and not that expensive.  But I would recommend you do the whole set. Get 'r done.

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    Willem "Wim" Blees, RPT
    Mililani, HI 96789
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