quick voicing poll

[Avery Todd]

David/Ric/List,

   Here's another way (although maybe not a fast, emergency method). It
was originally posted by Barbara Richmond, referring to prepping new
Kawai pianos. But I don't see why some of it might not work in other
cases, especially on fairly new hammers.

>    Voice those hammers! Use small (I think mine are 4 1/2 or 5")
>vise-grips (OK, you can groan here), jaws set to squeeze uniformly on
>all hammers. Squeeze shoulders enough to make a small imprint. This
>should produce a slight cupping of the hammer. Experience will teach you
>how much pressure to apply. Using one big strong needle in a heavy
>voicing tool, drive needle in shoulders parallel to the hammer moulding
>at a depth and using enough strokes (3-6?) to help straighten out the
>cupping. Don't destroy the hammer!--light sanding/shaping is allowed
>after needling. Remember to support the hammers while needling.
>Replace action and listen. The sustain should be much improved.
>
>    For the next step, I use my little Yamaha upright voicing tool with
>three needles. Insert needles parallel to the strike surface, running in
>the same direction and just under the  string lines. Replace action and
>listen. This should take away some of that brittle attack. Again,
>experience will teach how much and how deep. There needs to be a small
>layer of "soft" at the strike point. Voice the same way for the soft
>pedal. Listen for any twangs indicating that the hammers aren't square to
>the strings. Fix.

Avery

>What to do in a pinch?  I Pinched!
>You mention pinching & squeezing and it really does work.
SNIP
>I came up with the guage that measures tuning pin size.
>It has two pointy tips.
>(Now I reveal my willingness to be a heretical problem solver when in
>an emergency.)
SNIP
>David Sanderson

>On Fri, 4 Dec 1998 23:52:41 -0600 "Richard Moody" <remoody@easnet.net>
>writes:

>>In that case, I offer or proffer, which ever the case may be, squeezing.
>> Either this "art" is lost or the practice so universally scorned that
>>you will have to make your own squeezing pliers.  I do not know how this
>>will work on hammers saturated with acetone plastic keytop mix, but would
>>not hesitate to try it.
>>
>>Richard Moody