# HELP, my C sharp damper won't rise!!!



## growley

HEEEELLLLPPPPP!!!!!! the damper on my piano won't go up! it's muffling the string so it doesn't ring!! (unintentional rhyme there!) what do I do?????!!!!!


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## Ernie

growley said:


> HEEEELLLLPPPPP!!!!!! the damper on my piano won't go up! it's muffling the string so it doesn't ring!! (unintentional rhyme there!) what do I do?????!!!!!


Since you say the damper won't go up I assume this is a grand piano. Most likely cause is a loose underlever wire screw - a very simple repair. You'll have to remove the action to get to the screw (if you're not comfortable with doing this, call a piano tech). Once the action is removed look at the rear of the action cavity and find the damper wires. They terminate in a little wooden block called an underlever. The lower ends of the damper wires go into little holes on the top of their underlevers. There is a little screw in the front of each underlever that allows you to tighten the damper wire. Chances are the screw is loose on the offending damper and its underlever is sitting lower than its neighbors. Raise the underlever to be level with its neighbors and tighten the screw. You may have to play with it a bit to get the damper to lift correctly but it isn't rocket science.

Hope this helps,
Ernie


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## growley

Thank you Ernie, I eventually called a tech, because I wasn't completely confident in taking apart my baby!!! Turns out, the wires had come out completely, but other than that, it was exactly how you describe. Thank you very much for the advice and i'll learn how to remove actions etc for the future!!

best regards

George


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## Ernie

growley said:


> Thank you Ernie, I eventually called a tech, because I wasn't completely confident in taking apart my baby!!! Turns out, the wires had come out completely, but other than that, it was exactly how you describe. Thank you very much for the advice and i'll learn how to remove actions etc for the future!!
> 
> best regards
> 
> George


George

Glad to help - I'm glad the problem was as simple a repair as I thought. After many years as a piano tech, I'm still amazed that more pianists don't learn to do simple repairs, and even tuning touch-ups, on their instruments. Quick hint: if you ever decide to remove the action, be careful to not let your hands touch any of the keys as you slide the action out. If you do, you'll be guaranteed to break a hammer shank or two.

Good luck
Ernie


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## growley

Thank you Ernie!!!


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