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I have a new (5 months old) Kawai K3 which has been tuned 2x since arriving in our home. Recently, the F6 thru B7 keys, when struck, produce a constant sound identical to the damper pedal being applied. It is only these keys but it is very annoying. I think the damper must not be contacting these strings. My question, before I call the dealer, is: is this a need for "regulation" or does this sound like some problem that would be covered under warranty?

You do not have a problem. There are no dampers up in that area. The shorter strings in the treble area do not produce as much sustain as the longer strings and piano manufacturers don't put dampers in there.

Emmery is right. You have only now discovered this.... NO pianos have dampers up that high....

Thanks Emmery and Jerry. I am a piano beginner and have not had much exposure to the higher registers until recently. It is a very abrupt change though and very noticeable.

Sometimes the lowest notes without dampers become brighter than the adjacent notes with them. They are hit as hard as the adjacent notes, but the weight of the damper mechanism is not there to absorb some of the energy. It goes into the hammer, instead, so it becomes brighter faster. Someone who is adept at voicing can compensate for that.

I recently had a customer with the very same concern. They were shocked when I showed them the high treble had no dampers - their first assumption was that it was a cost-cutting measure...

That is exactly the case.

The more I learn about acoustical pianos the more I realize what an intricate piece of machinery they are... thanks for the explanation. I am actually trading the K3 in on a baby grand so I just wanted to make sure there was not a warranty problem prior to the transaction.

I am purchasing a Hailun 178 and have payed particular attention to the higher octaves and the transition is much less noticeable.. to me anyway.

I was once accused of stealing the dampers from a (ex-)customer's piano!

The Hailun 178 has duplex scaling. Perhaps that extra "ring" on the notes with dampers makes the transition less abrupt.

It's a nice piano by the way, unbeatable at that price point, IMO.

Hey Zeno. (Looking furtively both ways) Can you give a really good deal on some itty bitty treble dampers? Huh?

Q-Tips, Maybe?

Did you stash them with the ivory keys that I've heard of technicians stealing?

That's right, I stockpile all those ivories and tiny dampers, hide them under my mattress!

It was actually a fairly contentious scene, there was no convincing her that the piano actually came that way. Had to call a technician friend and put her on the line.

Nice of you to leave the bass dampers, at least, Zeno....

I wonder if the customer is allowed to shoot the piano tuner if he feels that his piano is in danger ...

I think they can in Texas and parts of Alabama especially if they catch you with a brown paper bag of tiny treble dampers and some assorted ivories!

Some of these things are funny ... after ... the incident is over!

In addition to what has been already mentioned, the treble area of the piano that is not damped will add some additional brilliance to the piano when other notes below it are played (sympathetic vibration). Every now and then I will run into a piano where the first few undampened notes seem to indicate they could indeed benefit from dampers. It would not have been too difficult to do so; but I think they were left the way they are because of that additional sound they provide when playing in regions below it.

I've always wanted the dampers to go higher on pianos I play. At least another 6 or 8 notes higher. Are there any pianos that have more dampers? Surely some mfr. has done this at some point in time...?

Old Steinway uprights had a lot of dampers. I think there were some Ibach grands which had more dampers. There were probably others.