Sostenuto regulation - American S&S

[Mark Dierauf]

>>I'm wondering if there is an "E-Z" method of getting it right, so that I
>>don't have any tabs brushing against the rod when it's at the rest postion,
>>and so that other dampers, other than the ones being held by the rod, don't
>>hop up onto the rod.

I have used a method that I saw demonstrated at one of S&S's tech seminars:

remove a couple of hammer/shanks from each side of the section ends, say 25, 26,
27 28 at the bass/treble break. *Slightly* loosen the sostenuto mounting screws,
just enough so that you can change the position of the rod and have it stay
where you put it, and slide the action back in (with cheek blocks in place).
Removing the hammers will alow you to see exactly how the rail is interacting
with the tabs. You can then insert a long thin screwdriver blade down through
the strings and gently pry the rail into the correct position, and generally
tighten the screws a little, if necessary, to maintain this position.
  As a final check, depress the sustain pedal to raise all of the dampers, then
depress the sostenuto pedal to grab them all in the raised position. Release the
sustain pedal first, then slowly release the sostenuto pedal while watching the
damper heads fall. If one area is falling much sooner or later than another, you
will know that this area needs further refinement. Unless the tabs are badly out
of alignment, this process should only take a few minutes.

                  Mark Dierauf