Twangy note

crescendo · Post by **crescendo** » 25 Feb 2008, 21:25

One of the notes on my piano has developed a nasty twanging noise.

I hear it when I release the damper pedal or as I let the key back up - only when I do this slowly. It happens just before the felt of the damper makes full contact with the strings.

What could be causing this? Is there anything I can try before calling my tuner?

Post by **Barrie Heaton** » 25 Feb 2008, 21:47

Sound like a damper do we keep flowers on the piano or the odd cup of tea liquid my have got in wet the damper felt then it has dried and is now zinging

if it is that the felt may have to be changed

Barrie,

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 25 Feb 2008, 23:29

If you're careful - and lucky - you can scratch the surface of the damper with a screwdriver/knife to soften the felt up again. If it's a good piano, let your tuner/tech do it.

crescendo · Post by **crescendo** » 26 Feb 2008, 00:50

Barrie Heaton wrote:Sound like a damper do we keep flowers on the piano or the odd cup of tea liquid my have got in wet the damper felt then it has dried and is now zinging

if it is that the felt may have to be changed

Barrie,

Indeed not, this is a cherished Steinway B we are talking about!! I'm not going to do any fiddling myself, just wanted to know what could be going on. Thanks folks. I will summon the man with a van..

Brumtuner · Post by **Brumtuner** » 26 Feb 2008, 01:27

Just yank the damper up and give the felt a good scratch with your finger nail.
That's what the tuner will charge you 450 quid for - when your back is turned.

Brumtuner · Post by **Brumtuner** » 26 Feb 2008, 01:29

I meant... that's what the tuner will do when your back is turned.

He/she'll prolly be facing you when the payment is requested.

Post by **Barrie Heaton** » 26 Feb 2008, 09:39

Brumtuner wrote:I meant... that's what the tuner will do when your back is turned.

He/she'll prolly be facing you when the payment is requested.

Ar but the man who came to fix my boiler charged me £75.00 just for kicking it, he said "Sir the kicking is free it's knowing where to kick the boiler cost £75.00"

Barrie

Post by **Barrie Heaton** » 26 Feb 2008, 10:14

crescendo wrote: Indeed not, this is a cherished Steinway B we are talking about!! I'm not going to do any fiddling myself, just wanted to know what could be going on. Thanks folks. I will summon the man with a van..

Your problem could be the guide bushing is worn so that the damper wire is touching the string
if it the above all will need changing and it will be expensive

Your cleaner could have bent a damper wire again damper wire is touching the string
The tuner can just bend it back

Over time on grands the banging down on the string makes the felt hard you may have reached that point that one if the split wedges has become to hard.

Barrie,

crescendo · Post by **crescendo** » 26 Feb 2008, 10:23

Hmm, we shall see.

My tuner knows I would bust his fingers if he diddled me and is quite used to me standing over him asking lots of awkward questions! He comes highly recommended by Jeff Shackell who sold me the piano, so there will be no monkey business, and definitely no kicking...

Openwood · Post by **Openwood** » 26 Feb 2008, 10:28

Steinway B? Excuse me while I roll my tongue up and put it back in my mouth. You lucky, lucky person

crescendo · Post by **crescendo** » 26 Feb 2008, 10:48

'Ere, no dribblin' on it, mate!

Tom Tuner · Post by **Tom Tuner** » 26 Feb 2008, 18:31

Dampers can develop a crust on the surface which can cause a "twang" when the touch the strings, even if nothing has actually been spilled. This usually shows up in old uprights. Take a toothbrush which is no longer employed, cut the (plastic) bristles off short so they have sharp ends and are good and stiff. Use this to clean off the surface crud on the dampers. You can gently heat the handle just below the head and bend it to a more convenient angle. More efficient than fingernails.

Tom Tuner

Openwood · Post by **Openwood** » 27 Feb 2008, 00:17

Crescendo,

All I can say is you must have been very good indeed in your previous lives to be reincarnated as the owner of a Steinway B

sussexpianos · Post by **sussexpianos** » 28 Feb 2008, 10:06

I remember laughing when I came to a piano and when I pressed the sustain pedal ( loud pedal to all), all the dampers lifted but the felts stayed on the strings

sorry madam, but Im not tuning this one!
Damper felt is very soft and can absord moisture in the air if its damp. When drying, the felts gets hard and compresses. Sometimes a sandpaper can help, mostly its a replacment.

crescendo · Post by **crescendo** » 28 Feb 2008, 18:30

Openwood wrote:Crescendo,

All I can say is you must have been very good indeed in your previous lives to be reincarnated as the owner of a Steinway B

I'm making up for it now

Mua-ha-ha-ha-ha!