Soft the hammer

[antares@EURONET.NL]

>After filing the hammers of a Steinway grand piano,I found the sound became
>too brilliant.But I feel difficult to needle the hammers because they are
>too hard.
>Is there any better method to soft the hammers?
>Thanks in advance.
>
>Baoli Liu
>Shenyang Conservatory of Music
>China
>
>
>

Hello Baoli Liu!
How wonderful to see somebody on the list from China!

A Steinway is a Steinway, but they can differ, depending on the Country of
origin. Is it an American or a German?
I would prefer to have the Americans on this list tell you about "their"
Steinway treatments.
However, if it is a Hamburg Steinway, I can tell you the following (I have
had a training in Hamburg, you see) :

Filing hammers of course always changes the sound. What MUST follow
afterwards is : regulation, tuning, voicing.

If the hammer is pretty hard and small, I would reccomend a hammer change.
If their is no money available, you have to needle the hammers down to a
nice level.
If the hammer is too hard, it might be possible that a so called
"hammerdope" has been used. Are all hammers too hard, or just the ones in
the high treble?
If it is the high treble that gives you trouble than it is pretty normal
because Steinway Hamburg uses Zappon laquer to strengthen the tone in the
high regions.

Hard is hard, but, nevertheless, a treble hammer we must be able to needle,
even if it is rock- hard.

Friendly greetings

AndrŽ Oorebeek
Amsterdam, Holland