Steinway Sustain

[jolly roger]

>I am trying to decide on which path of attack to go.
>
>Check the downbearing between bridge and aliquot, board crown, ribs, liners,
>bridge pins, weight the soundboard down to stiffen it (is a great idea)
>analize results.
>
>A Steinway is a Steinway, its still the best piano in town, I want it
>better, I don't ever want a complaint.  It has the tone, is clear of sound,
>easy to tune, rock solid but.
>
Hi Tony,
             Some quick things to check, that may put you on the right track. 
 1.)  Take a punch or hammer shank and tap the bridge pins and listen for
some improvement. If the pin is a little loose, there should be a temporary
improvement.  If so, destring and epoxy or CA the pins.
2.)   Take a blunt screw driver between the strings at the forward duplex
section, and move it over a little, if the string moves with a solid click,
you have a good sized string groove in the capo bar. This also can rob you
of quite a bit of power and sustain.
If the capo bar is in bad shape. I would think in terms of restringing the
section, after removing the grooves, and polishing the bar.
3.)   A combination of both of the above.

This area of the piano has not got the nick name of "Killer octave" for
nothing.
Regards Roger