Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Tuner-Technicians Forum My new Kawai GX-3 is ringing, please advise anyone?

I have a new GX3 Kawai grand piano with a piano disc install. When i play higher notes, starting with the C above middle C, with the sustain off (not pressed), I can hear "ringing" that is at least 2 octaves higher than the note I just played and it rings for several seconds, at least 6-7 seconds. Some notes (the C above middle C, for example) will not just produce a ringing sound of a much higher C note, I can also hear a very high harmonic G note. I cannot figure out where this ringing is coming from. I can press the C note and then use my hand to cover the strings along the sound board and the ringing reverberates, I cannot suppress it by pressing on strings with my hand. A piano tuner was out yesterday and said its my sound board and its normal. I have had a lifetime playing synthesizers and this is my first grand piano. I spent 30K on this piano and I am not a fan of this ringing (I never remember it when I played the piano at the dealer and I wonder if the pianodisc install created it...although i may also have simply never noticed it at the dealer) but I wanted to ask if this is normal for grand pianos to produce "ringing sounds" that are at very high octaves when keys are pressed without sustain. Is this kind of thing normal in grand pianos?

It's not your soundboard, and it's not normal. This very day I took a class at my regional conference of the Piano Technicians Guild, and this abnormal piano behavior was discussed. I think you need a different piano technician. The required adjustment is not complicated, and it will certainly make you happier with your new piano. Best wishes --

Hi. What do you think it is may I ask?

I think the dampers need adjustment. It's not a complicated task but does go better if the tech has training and experience.

thanks for your tip Dorrie. I just called another tech and his first thought was dampers, I'm going to schedule for him to come out and have a listen. I do hope its serviceable and not something im stuck with

Your GX3 has a duplex scale which is not damped. My guess is that you are hearing its partials. Another guess is that you were not using your muting hand on the duplex strings.

You could weave a strip of felt along the duplex strings to mute them.

ian

marshill88,
What about your Kawai dealer? Normally it is the dealer with his piano technicians, who looks after your new piano, to make sure the piano would perform at the highest standards and to your satisfaction.

Yes, it's dampers, and it's probably related to the PianoDisc install. Pedals must be difficult for aftermarket player installers to get right, because there are often leaky dampers, or non-working pedals. Do the dampers raise off the strings with a slight touch of the right pedal? If so, that is causing your damper leaking.

Indeed, I once bought a new Samick full size upright that had that feature, (best I can remember.) I found it annoying and distracting.

Don in Austin