Voicing

[Otto Keyes]

Hi Lance & the rest of the CAUT gang,

This is a situation that may require some quick & dirty, but reversible
tricks.  I would be very hesitant to put on new parts without some break-in
period before an event like this, even if they came in time.  Stuff changes
with new parts, & you want to be sure most of those changes have been made
before the potential "Van Cliburn" gets to the crucial moment of his/her
carreer.

As to the voicing/juicing, necessity drove me to a quick fix which I'm sure
will cause righteous indignation in some circles --- but it works and is
easily reversible.  Juicing always takes time & can be unpredictable.  Not a
good combination on short notice.  I have used a can of spray laquer,
actually sanding sealer, to good effect, but it must be done sparingly.
Putting newsprint under the hammers & over the shanks  to protect from
overspray, I give the weak areas a very light coat, perhaps one quick pass
on front & back of the hammers.  The farther you hold the can away from the
hammers, the drier the coat & less the penetration.  "Crust!  Crust!", I
hear the cries, which causes me to follow up immediately with a bit of
acetone directly on the crown of the hammer, which takes the still-wet
laquer into the felt, leaving little, if any, crust to form on the strike
point.  The more acetone used, the deeper the laquer goes.  Light
applications of spray laquer & acetone flash off very quickly for almost
immediate evaluation of the results.  If you get the hammer wet from the
laquer spray --- you've used way too much & turned them into rocks -- and
you're in big trouble!  But very light coats can be controlled quite easily,
& can be removed with a light filing.  If you bet a bit of ping from a
little crust, try a bit of sugar coating to break up the surface.

Try it out on another piano first, & remember that less is definitely more
with this method.

Okay, there it's out!!  Let the stonings begin!

Otto

----- Original Message -----
From: "Lance Lafargue" <lancelafargue@bellsouth.net>
To: "Caut (E-mail)" <caut@ptg.org>
Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2002 11:58 AM
Subject: Voicing


> Hi list,
> I have a situation coming up that I thought was common, but not talked
about
> in detail much.  I will be prepping and maintaining a Steinway D next week
> for a week-long competition with recitals,etc.  Very good players,
> often-times Van Cliburn contestants/winners (12).  This piano has been
> approved to get new Hammers, Shanks, flanges, damper felt, and maybe back
> checks, but not in time for the competition.  The hammers have been filed
> many times, running out of felt with some areas weak, lots of nasty
> twang/buzz.  I have leveled strings, seated them and fit hammers to
strings,
> but I suspect most of the problem is in the hammers.  The piano is from
mid
> 80's. These hammers have been worked on and stabbed by several techs, so I
> don't know the whole history.
> The Question:  What are some of the common (if any) remedies needed on
older
> hammers in this situation.  Do you sometimes have to harden again after
much
> needling, (weak areas) do specific needling, (noise) after this much use?
> Are there common procedures followed to extend the usefulness and increase
> the quality of tone in these older hammers?  I would appreciate input from
> the experience out there. Thanks,
>
> Lance Lafargue, RPT
> Mandeville, LA
> New Orleans Chapter, PTG
> lancelafargue@bellsouth.net
> 985.72P.IANO
>