Pianotech

  • 1.  Rebuilt 1889 Steinway B with ringing at the treble break

    Member
    Posted 02-25-2026 18:44
      |   view attached

    Showed up to a nicely rebuilt B - this is a new issue within the last two months when the piano was last tuned and cleaned. There's a metallic ring/buzz/sound starting right at the first treble break and is gone by the 2nd break. 

    When I heard it I thought it was the duplex so I put some braid through and it didn't help. No obvious issues with the bridge…it's most noticeable at C5/C#5 

    There's some leaky dampers and unisons, but the buzz (hopefully the video audio is sufficient) has me at a loss.

    I've shared this with my local techs and mentor and I'm hoping someone out here might have some ideas we can bounce around. 

    thanks in advance! 



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    Sean Weinert
    Littleton CO
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  • 2.  RE: Rebuilt 1889 Steinway B with ringing at the treble break

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 02-25-2026 19:14

    This looks and sounds like a capo buzz. Take a rubber mute and mute the front duplex to see if the buzz is reduced or eliminated. If so, you'll need to resurface/reprofile  the capo. Don't forget to reprofile the plate apron termination.



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    Roger Gable RPT
    Gable Piano
    Everett WA
    (425) 252-5000
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  • 3.  RE: Rebuilt 1889 Steinway B with ringing at the treble break

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 02-25-2026 21:22
    Make sure that the waste lengths in the low tenor are properly braided and damped off. Could be picking up sympathetics from there. Happened to me.

    ng






  • 4.  RE: Rebuilt 1889 Steinway B with ringing at the treble break

    Posted 02-26-2026 06:31

    The after ring sounds like perfectly tuned 12s. Have you tried muting the open high treble strings?

    By chance did you change your tuning stretch to pure 12ths?



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    Ed Sutton
    ed440@me.com
    (980) 254-7413
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  • 5.  RE: Rebuilt 1889 Steinway B with ringing at the treble break

    Member
    Posted 02-26-2026 08:53

    Ed, this is a fascinating question and I hadn't considered the easiest potential problem - this piano is typically tuned aurally but I believe it was a cybertuner pure 12th tuning 🧐



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    Sean Weinert
    Littleton CO
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