Music Trade Review
Issue: 1954 Vol. 113 N. 5 - Page 25
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
PRACTICAL PIANO TUNING
By ALEXANDER HART
Formerly with Steinway & Sons Tuning Department, Instructor in
Piano Tuning, Teachers College, Columbia University, N. Y.
Registered Member of the
National Association of Piano Tuners
Notes of Interest on Tuning
N item of interest and importance
is to he on the alert when it comes
to adjusting dampers. One should he
careful, especially with some piano
A
Double Flonges
Damper Levers with Flange & Spring <
Damper Levers with Metal Plate, Steinway.
No. 1
actions that are distinctly individual. 1
mean by this, and you will observe
on the Diagram No. 1, the damper
lever marked Y is quite different from
the one marked Z. One has a wooden
flange: the other, a metal flange that
slides upward on the flange marked X.
Before we continue with the pro-
cedure of minor adjusting, it would he
well for those not fully acquainted with
damper regulation to avoid the tinker-
No. 2
ing or meddling habit. It's too bad to
mention this fact, but it does frequently
happen, and il is not considered good
i)~aetice. These few words of advice. I
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, MAY, 1954
know, will be taken in good spirit. Now
to get on with our adjusting.
\ o t infrequently, pianos are moved
around, taken apart and get a lot of
jolting. Consequently, the bolts on the
action brackets become loose, and very
probably may cause the dampers not
to seat properly. Tightening the bolts
securely in many instances stops the
continuous sound.
There are many other causes such as
a taut damper rod. or a number of
dampers not seating on the strings.
Many of these adjustments are tricky,
and as suggested should be taken care
of properly.
Let us take as an example the action
with the dampers marked X and Y on
Diagram No. 1.
\v hen the wood is exceedingly dry.
it stands to reason that extraordinary
care should be taken in tightening those
screws on the metal plate, (a) When
doing so. hold the lever steady with the
left hand and turn the screw lightly
with the right hand. Unless you take
these precautions, you are apt to break
the lever at the center, (b) To carry
an extra few flanges is always in order.
\T hen one breaks accidentalIv. throw it
ting between the hamm
jhonks severol notet
s required
No.
3
away: don't try to mend it. (c) Tin-
action bending plier for regulating is
essential, and you will need it. The lop
part of the broken lever wire is bent
to shape and fit the damper head and
felt to the string, id) Take head of the
wire, then bend the new wire in con-
formity with the broken half, and this
operation can be corrected in short
order, more so when you have the bend-
ing plier with a compound leverage. As
to the dampers continually sounding,
this can be adjusted by loosening the
net on a pedal prop that loosens now
and then or vice versa, le) The conical-
pelican trap lever springs have no
props.
Pedal mountings, brackets and vari-
ous other types of pedal mechanism
can be shown clearly by consulting a
piano supply catalog.
Dampers V and W are absolutely
essential regulating tools for success-
fully bending damper wires.
Inserting the tool between the ham-
mer shanks, a slight bend ran make a
quick adjustment.
Let us take another example. Assum-
ing a few dampers are not seating,
i.e.. .-hutting off the prolonged sound.
1. See bolts are tight on brackets.
2. Place tool on sustaining pedal note
if all the dampers" heads are in align-
ment. If not. bend v\ith regulating tool
V forward or back as the case may be.
3. Place action in proper position. If
notes still continue to sound, or damp-
ers do not seal, the trouble may be
with the damper spoon.
The supply catalog will show an
illustration of the upright action. You
will observe the damper spoon if too
far forward will push damper level
away from the string. At the same time.
if spoon does not lift lever at the right
time and too much lost motion lies be-
tween spoon and the cloth, damper
will not come away from the string.
Don't bend spoon until all other
regulatii g points have been checked.
Explanations of Diagrams
Referring again to the diagrams
1, 2, and 3
the damper lever
designated at "Y" is a double
flange that fit§ on the damper lever
"Z." The lever mentioned as "Y"
is standardized and found in the
general run of pianos especially
uprights.
PRACTICAL PIANO TUNING
By ALEXANDER HART
Formerly with Steinway & Sons Tuning Department, Instructor in
Piano Tuning, Teachers College, Columbia University, N. Y.
Registered Member of the
National Association of Piano Tuners
Notes of Interest on Tuning
N item of interest and importance
is to he on the alert when it comes
to adjusting dampers. One should he
careful, especially with some piano
A
Double Flonges
Damper Levers with Flange & Spring <
Damper Levers with Metal Plate, Steinway.
No. 1
actions that are distinctly individual. 1
mean by this, and you will observe
on the Diagram No. 1, the damper
lever marked Y is quite different from
the one marked Z. One has a wooden
flange: the other, a metal flange that
slides upward on the flange marked X.
Before we continue with the pro-
cedure of minor adjusting, it would he
well for those not fully acquainted with
damper regulation to avoid the tinker-
No. 2
ing or meddling habit. It's too bad to
mention this fact, but it does frequently
happen, and il is not considered good
i)~aetice. These few words of advice. I
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, MAY, 1954
know, will be taken in good spirit. Now
to get on with our adjusting.
\ o t infrequently, pianos are moved
around, taken apart and get a lot of
jolting. Consequently, the bolts on the
action brackets become loose, and very
probably may cause the dampers not
to seat properly. Tightening the bolts
securely in many instances stops the
continuous sound.
There are many other causes such as
a taut damper rod. or a number of
dampers not seating on the strings.
Many of these adjustments are tricky,
and as suggested should be taken care
of properly.
Let us take as an example the action
with the dampers marked X and Y on
Diagram No. 1.
\v hen the wood is exceedingly dry.
it stands to reason that extraordinary
care should be taken in tightening those
screws on the metal plate, (a) When
doing so. hold the lever steady with the
left hand and turn the screw lightly
with the right hand. Unless you take
these precautions, you are apt to break
the lever at the center, (b) To carry
an extra few flanges is always in order.
\T hen one breaks accidentalIv. throw it
ting between the hamm
jhonks severol notet
s required
No.
3
away: don't try to mend it. (c) Tin-
action bending plier for regulating is
essential, and you will need it. The lop
part of the broken lever wire is bent
to shape and fit the damper head and
felt to the string, id) Take head of the
wire, then bend the new wire in con-
formity with the broken half, and this
operation can be corrected in short
order, more so when you have the bend-
ing plier with a compound leverage. As
to the dampers continually sounding,
this can be adjusted by loosening the
net on a pedal prop that loosens now
and then or vice versa, le) The conical-
pelican trap lever springs have no
props.
Pedal mountings, brackets and vari-
ous other types of pedal mechanism
can be shown clearly by consulting a
piano supply catalog.
Dampers V and W are absolutely
essential regulating tools for success-
fully bending damper wires.
Inserting the tool between the ham-
mer shanks, a slight bend ran make a
quick adjustment.
Let us take another example. Assum-
ing a few dampers are not seating,
i.e.. .-hutting off the prolonged sound.
1. See bolts are tight on brackets.
2. Place tool on sustaining pedal note
if all the dampers" heads are in align-
ment. If not. bend v\ith regulating tool
V forward or back as the case may be.
3. Place action in proper position. If
notes still continue to sound, or damp-
ers do not seal, the trouble may be
with the damper spoon.
The supply catalog will show an
illustration of the upright action. You
will observe the damper spoon if too
far forward will push damper level
away from the string. At the same time.
if spoon does not lift lever at the right
time and too much lost motion lies be-
tween spoon and the cloth, damper
will not come away from the string.
Don't bend spoon until all other
regulatii g points have been checked.
Explanations of Diagrams
Referring again to the diagrams
1, 2, and 3
the damper lever
designated at "Y" is a double
flange that fit§ on the damper lever
"Z." The lever mentioned as "Y"
is standardized and found in the
general run of pianos especially
uprights.
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