Full range damping?

[Delwin D Fandrich]

----- Original Message -----
From: <Kriist@AOL.COM>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: May 03, 2000 12:10 AM
Subject: Full range damping?


> is this a difficult job?(on an upright)
> adding dampers up into the highest octaves(so you have full control of
> resonance)
> and perhaps have a lever where its switchable to 'regular' piano mode
>
> id like to modify my piano to do this, and i want to know if this is
> something thats commonly done, if its inexpensive etc....
>
> any info appreciated
>
> thanks
>
> rodrigo

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It would be possible to run dampers all the way to C-88 in a vertical piano.
But not in a grand.  At least not without some major engineering changes.
The belly rail extension gets in the way.  This could be removed, but it
would be at the cost of virtually all treble tone performance -- in which
case you wouldn't need the dampers.  More dampers are generally not used
because they are not deemed to be necessary.  And, with the rare exception,
they are not.

In the vertical pianos we built I ended up using 72 dampers and intend to do
so in our new grand as well.  The design of both pianos is such that sustain
time in the upper tenor and treble sections is somewhat longer than is
normally encountered.  Hence the extra dampers.  Even this has been
difficult to accomplish in the grand, requiring some very careful soundboard
and bellyrail design work.  The only reason for needing the extra dampers --
most pianos use 67 or 68 dampers -- is to control the longer upper
tenor/treble sustain time of these two designs.  Typically, the short
sustain time of conventional piano designs through the upper tenor/treble
sections -- be they grands or verticals -- simply doesn't require the extra
dampers.  Or the work it takes to fit them into the design.

Del