[CAUT] S&S D tenor dampers

[David Love]

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The best prevention for this (aside from raising the dampers before
inserting mute strips-if you use them) is to trim the felt when the
damper is installed.  I use a small pair of curved nail scissors that I
get from the cosmetics department of any drug store.  Carefully trim the
damper felt so that the lowest part of the damper is even with or just
below the bottom of the string.  Anything below is useless.  When
installing split dampers take a razorblade and slice down the center
line of the damper to allow the damper to open more easily.  Insert a
small piece of silk cord the length of the damper to force the damper
open slightly.  The pressure from the outside strings will force the
damper to clamp the center string, but you want some outward pressure to
be sure that the outer strings shut off cleanly.  In this case you can
try to remove each damper and perform the same operation as above.  If
the felt is damaged above the bottom of the string line, you will have
to replace the damper felt.    
 
David Love
davidlovepianos@comcast.net 
-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Cy
Shuster
Sent: Saturday, April 30, 2005 5:22 AM
To: CAUT
Subject: [CAUT] S&S D tenor dampers
 
After a recent vigorous concert on an S&S D, a low tenor damper was
bleeding.  As it dropped onto the strings, it shifted to one side.  The
problem turned out to be that one side of the "W" had folded over the
string (see picture).  I straightened it out, and then examined the
situation from inside the action cavity (second pic).  The extended
"tail" of the wedge was shredded.  It still wasn't damping right, so I
went to trim it to match its neighbors.  The loose piece just pulled
away in my fingers as I tried to cut it.
 
I've never seen dampers extending below the strings so far, but I
suppose for low tenor on a D, that's what's necessary.  It looks like
the fix is to replace that damper felt, right?  (At least the front half
that was damaged).
 
It still rings a bit more than I'd like, but at least it drops straight
onto the strings.  A tiny amount of added finger pressure does the
trick.  I tried lowering the damper wire into its support block a bit,
but then the sostenuto tab is too high.  Are there any short-term fixes
for tomorrow's concert?
 
Thanks...
 
--Cy Shuster--
Bluefield, WV
 

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