Steinway hammers

[Jeuxdeau@aol.com]

Hi !

I recently signed onto your list and am extremely impressed with some of the
technical discussions - I never realized piano technology was such an art!

I have one question for which an answer will make me forever indebted to you
folks.....

I have a new "B".  At this point, I am having this instrument tuned every 2
months.  Is it "normal" to also need a full voicing that frequently?  In order
to get one "voice", my technician had to extensively voice 80 of the 88
hammers to match a few odd-balls.  The resulting sound was extremely muffled,
but evenly voiced.  He told me that the hardening agent was very unevenly
applied to the hammers at the factory.  I am a trained pianist, and I can
attest to the fact that he truly did a remarkable job in voicing -- something
the dealer tech, even after two attempts, could not do !  (I am hanging on to
this new tech!)  I understand the cold-press/hot-press difference and that
Steinway hammers are more variable than most, but is the variance I have
described excessive/typical/acceptable from a new "B" ?  I am considering
having the hammers replaced because since the last voicing, I have driven the
piano only about 20 hours (with "elevator music"), and the odd-balls are
already prominently sticking out of the aural terrain.

Thank you.