Moving Damper Guide Rails

[Delwin D Fandrich]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Brian Trout" <brian_trout@hotmail.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: February 27, 2003 5:31 AM
Subject: RE: Moving Damper Guide Rails



>
> Terry F., Roger J. and I (to name a few) were in the same class at Brandon
> University, I think it was where Andre Bolduc was installing a new
> soundboard in a '20s era Steinway 'O', I believe.  He mentioned that in
the
> upper section (I don't remember about the killer octave section) that the
> notches were such that the string lengths were unequal.  It was my opinion
> that he was saying that the unequal length of the strings somehow added to
> the body of tone in such a way as to give it a fuller sound.
>
> Yes, it was intentional, and from what I remember, he encouraged us to put
> it back the way we found it.


Yes, it was intentional.

No, it wasn't the problem.

No, it didn't solve the problem. The problem being short sustain with a
percussive attack through the killer octave region.

Yes, it altered the tone, not so much as to make it 'fuller,' but
'twangier.'.

No, I don't know if Chickering ever did this but I wouldn't be surprised. He
tried everything else including a bunch of stuff no one else ever though of.
But then I didn't know Heintzmann did it either.

Yes, if the problem--the soundboard (and, to some extent, the scaling)--is
fixed the feature becomes even more objectionable.

Del