Steinway Damper Afterring

[Jim Coleman, Sr.]

Hi Patrick:

There are two things which come to mind immediately as to why there might
be over-ring. I call them rock and twist. If the damper is rocking forward
a slightl bit, the rear damper is less efficient and the front damper
creates a high requency node, usually the 7th, 8th, or 9th partial. Try to
isolate the main pitch of the overring. If it is one of these, then I
would suggest that you rock the damper head back until the front and back
of the damper rests equally upon the strings. I you hear a lower pitch
overring such as the 5th or 6th partial, then the damper is rocked too
heavily toward the rear.

The other problem may be that one of the two strings of a unison is
not damping well because of a twist as the damper rises, or that the
offset, or setoff as some call it, has placed the damper more heavily
upon one string and not the other. Opening up the neck of the damper
wire where it first touches the damper head will set the damper over
farther from the vertical portion of the damper wire or toward the
treble side. Closing this bend or making it a tighter bend will set the 
damper toward the Bass side. 

One test you can make with your finger to determine which string is
overringing is to place you finger first on the left string immediately
after a short staccato keyblow. If you still hear the after ring, then
the problem is probably coming from the right string. When you reverse
this test and touch the right string after a short keyblow, if you still
hear the after ring, then it is less likely to be a twist problem, but
a damper rocking problem. If there is a twist problem, this finger test
will exhibit one partial over ring on one string and a different partial
over ring from the other string. To take out the twist, be sure the
damper set screw is tight, then with pliers, twist the wire just above
the damper upper lever in the direction needed to eliminate the twist
as the damper rises.

Please forgive this lengthy note if all this is quite familiar to  you,
however, there may be others on the list who will benefit from this
explanation. I'm glad that you have already checked the follow-through
of the dampers.

Last of all, you may need to change the damper felt if indeed it is
hard and crusty.

Jim Coleman, Sr.


On Mon, 27 Dec 1999, Patrick C. Poulson wrote:

> Greetings All! I hope your holiday season is going well.  I have a problem
> with a Steinway B that I would like some input on before I make my final
> diagnosis and fix.  The pianist who uses this instrument has recently begun
> to complain of a symptom that I was finally able to interpret as afterring,
> i.e., the dampers are not cutting off the sound when the keys are released,
> particularly in the bass section.  The string follow and pedal adjustments
> are all within the usual specs, so it seems that the fault lies with the 20
> year old felt.  I've heard much worse afterring which the piano owners were
> oblivious to, but this pianist is a very high level classical performer and
> is not willing to keep using the instrument until the problem is fixed.  Are
> there any other reasons for this afterring that I might be overlooking that
> I could check before proceeding with felt replacement? Also, would you
> recommend Steinway replacement  felt, or is there better felt available?
> Thanks for your time and advice advance, Patrick Poulson, RPT
>