Pianotech

Help !!! I am trying to reduce or eliminate the damper thump on a PG150 on a Pramberger Signature Series Grand. I worked on the piano last week and reduced some of the thump as well as a tapping noise from the damper flanges hitting the sostenuto blade. I lowered the damper upstop rail and it seemed fine but today I could hear the thump soitting some distance away. After the church service I had the pianist play and the sound came and went depending on what he played. Perhaps it is his pedalling technique letting off the pedal and then dampers slam down. I am thinking of adjusting the upstop rail down some more or doing something under the piano to limit the trap lever travel. I know that the damper clearance on Piano Disc players needs to be calibrated as well as manually set so the felt just clears the strings. Maybe this is helpful here ? I also wonder if softer damper felt would help or if needling could work. According to the serial number the piano was made in 2000 and was donated to the church.

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James Kelly
Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
Pawleys Island SC
843-325-4357
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Don't have all the dampers come down at once. Turn the capstans in a section or install a shim under the lift felt.

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Regards,

Jon Page
mailto:jonpage@comcast.net
http://www.pianocapecod.com
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Original Message:
Sent: 03-20-2022 15:26
From: James Kelly
Subject: Young Chang Pramberger PG150

Help !!! I am trying to reduce or eliminate the damper thump on a PG150 on a Pramberger Signature Series Grand. I worked on the piano last week and reduced some of the thump as well as a tapping noise from the damper flanges hitting the sostenuto blade. I lowered the damper upstop rail and it seemed fine but today I could hear the thump soitting some distance away. After the church service I had the pianist play and the sound came and went depending on what he played. Perhaps it is his pedalling technique letting off the pedal and then dampers slam down. I am thinking of adjusting the upstop rail down some more or doing something under the piano to limit the trap lever travel. I know that the damper clearance on Piano Disc players needs to be calibrated as well as manually set so the felt just clears the strings. Maybe this is helpful here ? I also wonder if softer damper felt would help or if needling could work. According to the serial number the piano was made in 2000 and was donated to the church.

------------------------------
James Kelly
Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
Pawleys Island SC
843-325-4357
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 3/20/2022 3:27:00 PM
From: James Kelly
Subject: Young Chang Pramberger PG150

Help !!! I am trying to reduce or eliminate the damper thump on a PG150 on a Pramberger Signature Series Grand. I worked on the piano last week and reduced some of the thump as well as a tapping noise from the damper flanges hitting the sostenuto blade. I lowered the damper upstop rail and it seemed fine but today I could hear the thump soitting some distance away. After the church service I had the pianist play and the sound came and went depending on what he played. Perhaps it is his pedalling technique letting off the pedal and then dampers slam down. I am thinking of adjusting the upstop rail down some more or doing something under the piano to limit the trap lever travel. I know that the damper clearance on Piano Disc players needs to be calibrated as well as manually set so the felt just clears the strings. Maybe this is helpful here ? I also wonder if softer damper felt would help or if needling could work. According to the serial number the piano was made in 2000 and was donated to the church.

------------------------------
James Kelly
Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
Pawleys Island SC
843-325-4357
------------------------------

Don't use the up stop rail as a pedal stop. Adjust the pedal stop by stepping on the pedal and play a note. If the dampers wink,, more likely to do so on the sharps, adjust the pedal so it doesn't wink. Then set the up stop making sure it doesn't act as a pedal stop. Key dip is another important factor to consider when making these adjustments

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Keith Roberts
owner
Hathaway Pines CA
209-770-4312
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Original Message:
Sent: 03-20-2022 15:26
From: James Kelly
Subject: Young Chang Pramberger PG150

Help !!! I am trying to reduce or eliminate the damper thump on a PG150 on a Pramberger Signature Series Grand. I worked on the piano last week and reduced some of the thump as well as a tapping noise from the damper flanges hitting the sostenuto blade. I lowered the damper upstop rail and it seemed fine but today I could hear the thump soitting some distance away. After the church service I had the pianist play and the sound came and went depending on what he played. Perhaps it is his pedalling technique letting off the pedal and then dampers slam down. I am thinking of adjusting the upstop rail down some more or doing something under the piano to limit the trap lever travel. I know that the damper clearance on Piano Disc players needs to be calibrated as well as manually set so the felt just clears the strings. Maybe this is helpful here ? I also wonder if softer damper felt would help or if needling could work. According to the serial number the piano was made in 2000 and was donated to the church.

------------------------------
James Kelly
Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
Pawleys Island SC
843-325-4357
------------------------------

This noise is still coming through even though I tried a few things such as adjusting a large capstan screw above the sustain trap lever and the dampers have less clearance above the strings. I am beginning to think it is the pianists technique instead of milking the pedal and letting it have a slower return. Since he uses a mic to sing it may be the mic amplifying damper return. I also wonder if there is side torque applied on the pedal causing the pitman to move around. I was at the church on Monday and I could not re-create the noise even from a standing position. Perhaps I should put a strong spring under the pedal or secure the pitman to the damper lift tray ? I do not believe its the damper upstop rail but maybe I should think about a new piece of felt there and also check inside the pedal box and the fit of the pedal rods in the lyre. Stuff like this drives me insane .

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James Kelly
Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
Pawleys Island SC
843-325-4357
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Original Message:
Sent: 03-21-2022 16:49
From: Keith Roberts
Subject: Young Chang Pramberger PG150

Don't use the up stop rail as a pedal stop. Adjust the pedal stop by stepping on the pedal and play a note. If the dampers wink,, more likely to do so on the sharps, adjust the pedal so it doesn't wink. Then set the up stop making sure it doesn't act as a pedal stop. Key dip is another important factor to consider when making these adjustments

------------------------------
Keith Roberts
owner
Hathaway Pines CA
209-770-4312

Original Message:
Sent: 03-20-2022 15:26
From: James Kelly
Subject: Young Chang Pramberger PG150

Help !!! I am trying to reduce or eliminate the damper thump on a PG150 on a Pramberger Signature Series Grand. I worked on the piano last week and reduced some of the thump as well as a tapping noise from the damper flanges hitting the sostenuto blade. I lowered the damper upstop rail and it seemed fine but today I could hear the thump soitting some distance away. After the church service I had the pianist play and the sound came and went depending on what he played. Perhaps it is his pedalling technique letting off the pedal and then dampers slam down. I am thinking of adjusting the upstop rail down some more or doing something under the piano to limit the trap lever travel. I know that the damper clearance on Piano Disc players needs to be calibrated as well as manually set so the felt just clears the strings. Maybe this is helpful here ? I also wonder if softer damper felt would help or if needling could work. According to the serial number the piano was made in 2000 and was donated to the church.

------------------------------
James Kelly
Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
Pawleys Island SC
843-325-4357
------------------------------

You keep referring to upstop rail but, to me, it sounds like you are describing sounds when the dampers fall to rest. If the thump happens when the player releases the sustain pedal, perhaps too quickly, it could be the sound of all the dampers hitting all the strings all at once. Jon's suggestion is a good one for that. Or it might be the sustain pedal is being released too quickly and slamming against the pedal upstop felt in the lyre pedal box. Softening the upstop felt in the box could possibly help but both of these sounds are usually the result of a player technique problem.

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Geoff Sykes, RPT
Los Angeles CA
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Original Message:
Sent: 03-20-2022 15:26
From: James Kelly
Subject: Young Chang Pramberger PG150

Help !!! I am trying to reduce or eliminate the damper thump on a PG150 on a Pramberger Signature Series Grand. I worked on the piano last week and reduced some of the thump as well as a tapping noise from the damper flanges hitting the sostenuto blade. I lowered the damper upstop rail and it seemed fine but today I could hear the thump soitting some distance away. After the church service I had the pianist play and the sound came and went depending on what he played. Perhaps it is his pedalling technique letting off the pedal and then dampers slam down. I am thinking of adjusting the upstop rail down some more or doing something under the piano to limit the trap lever travel. I know that the damper clearance on Piano Disc players needs to be calibrated as well as manually set so the felt just clears the strings. Maybe this is helpful here ? I also wonder if softer damper felt would help or if needling could work. According to the serial number the piano was made in 2000 and was donated to the church.

------------------------------
James Kelly
Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
Pawleys Island SC
843-325-4357
------------------------------