Needling Technique

[Richard Brekne]

"Carol R. Beigel" wrote:

> Usually hammer makers go to great lengths to ensure their product produces
> an acceptable tone - what a way to disrespect a lot of research and effort!
> To deep needle 9 big holes into the hammers before they are hung, without
> even listening to them first, is like using using a crescent wrench to turn
> all the tuning pins a little bit before you sit down to tune it!

Hmm... I am not sure I understand Carol. First of I didnt say 9 deep holes.. I
said 9 big (as in diameter)  holes with varying depths depending on how far away
from the crown he was.

Secondly, its pre-needling before installation is not new and is recommended by
many. One supposedly gets a feel for the right amount of springyness in the
shoulders when pinched between the thumb and index finger. Heck I hear folks
talk of setting a set of hammers fresh out of the box on the bench and danking
60 times into each shoulder...til the felt on the shoulders begins to puff up a
bit as part of their preneedling technique... hammers are then filed nicely and
hung... not neccessarily in that order.

This fellows point was to do the least possible damage to the hammers. Only nine
holes in each shoulder, which he then works with... These are like needle
holes.. you understand... thicker then what we usually use... but needles none
the less...

>
> The idea of voicing is to produce tone and power, both on light and heavy
> blows. You don't just sit down to "voice" a piano, you tone regulate it, and
> for that one needs to use their EARS!  Whatever it takes technique-wise to
> produce the best sound possible from the piano should not be the issue; only
> the result!
>

Agreed..:)

>
> And this from the person still experimenting with shaping hammers using an
> electric shaver!

How is that going by the way...? That actually sounds kind of interesting...
Werent you going to fill us all in on that one after a bit ?

>
>
> Carol Beigel
> Greenbelt, Maryland
> about 4 weeks away from Grandmotherhood

Congrats in advance !

--
Richard Brekne
RPT, N.P.T.F.
Bergen, Norway
mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no