Fabric softener

[JIMRPT@AOL.COM]

In a message dated 8/31/2000 11:10:54 AM, Dave wrote:

<<"I didn't see any humor in it!  The man asked a reasonable question and has
yet to receive a useable answer.  Great job, group!
Dave">>

 Dave;
 You are as wrong as Roy is. He has received at least four serious and 
thoughtful answers. (see below)  Now perhaps these answers were not 'exactly' 
what he wanted to 'know' BUT they 'each' addressed the question as he 'asked' 
it. Fussing is alright but make sure that you know what the danged hack you 
are fussing about before you do!
 If Mr Ulrich is desperate for this info there is a superfluous abundance or 
plethora of "Snuggles", sic "fabric softener", opinionating in the archives.
Jim Bryant (FL)
----------------------------------

Original question was:
<<"So, please tell, how much fabric softener is appropriate to voice down 
hammers? Thanks

Roy Ulrich">>

and some of the 'serious' answers he has received are:

<<"With anything which I might try on a set of hammers to voice, there 
is at least one of two unknowns: the  concoction (its composition and 
strength), and how the hammers are going to react to it. I look up 
and down the scale for pairs  or threesomes of identical sounding 
hammers. I chalk the keys for reference, and try an application of 
the mystery sauce on one of the hammers. If I like the change, I do 
the same treatment on the companion hammers. If the results seem to 
head the hammers in the right direction but not far enough, I repeat 
the application on the original trial hammer as well as the 
companions. That way I've brought up the companions *and* tried a 
second dose on the trial, ie., the trial will continue to be one dose 
ahead of its companions.
That's methodical enough for me.">>


<<"You need to ask first how dilute. 8:1 is the standard, and my first 
(uninformed) time I used 4:1 on a set of badly over-lacquered 
Steinway B hammers. They voiced up beautifully and a year later I'm 
still grateful for Snuggles' work. Which bears mentioning the other 
serious point: this as do all other mystery sauces only gets you into 
the ballpark.">>

<<"You might as well ask how many times to *poke* a hammer with a needle to
correct the voicing. There is *no* straight forward answer is there? (I
hope I am wrong, but I don't think so!">>

<<"too bad you didn't get the answer 
you wanted . . .because there is no answer; each piano is different.">>