Ed, how did you come to the conclusion that adding weight to the hammers will bring out the fundamental? And how wouldneedling the shoulders of a lacquer- hardened hammer increase sustain as Roger Jolley said? vince - Dear Lance- - Well, this will be a chance to test your communication skills! - You might take a look at Richard Akins' article in the July 01 Journal. - Side needling does less damage to hammers, and might reduce the noise. - Also you could try adding some weight (3/4" office binder clips at the - end of the shanks, then remove the wire handles) to the bass and mid-range, - which should give more fundamental and low partials. - Voice the una corda. - And do the best regulation possible, and at least some of the performers - will work miracles. - Good luck! - Ed - - - ---------- - >From: "Lance Lafargue" <lancelafargue@bellsouth.net> - >To: "Caut \(E-mail\)" <caut@ptg.org> - >Subject: Voicing - >Date: Wed, Jul 10, 2002, 1:58 PM - > - - > 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 - >
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