Hi David, Could you elaborate your technique of prevoicing? I suppose this item has already been discussed often, but this is for me one of the most difficult things in our job. I am using currently Abel hammers and often have a tone that is to dull to my taste. (voicing: about 8 x deep needling in each shoulder and about 6 x undeep in the crown with three needles) As i am not an expert, is there a chance that i have already been needling to much with this technique or should i deepneedle more to get a fuller (but not less bright) tone? As i understand, a new (abel) hammer should always be needled? btw i use the method wich is explained in the Reblitz. Thanks for any suggestions. Pierre Gevaert Belgium ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Love" <davidlovepianos@earthlink.net> To: <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Tuesday, August 13, 2002 6:24 AM Subject: Re: voicing new hammers > The purpose of my post was to point out that there is a baseline for > preparing hammers that transcends taste. Perhaps that is sticking my neck > out in times where relativism seems to reign supreme, but I'm not afraid to > make a value judgment here. Beyond that baseline preparation there is still > a lot of room for individual taste. My overall opinion is that comes mostly > in the area of attack. > > When I said I could see no reason for leaving a Renner/Abel hammer > unresilient I am making a conjecture, in this case, that the person who said > to leave them alone was probably not responding to the lack of resilience of > the hammer (if it was unresilient, I don't really know what condition that > set of hammers was in), but the improvement over what had been on there > before. Since I prevoice those types of hammer before I put them on, it's > not an issue for me. All hammers of that type get some voicing. And all of > them benefit from creating more resilience. If the person were to insist > that they liked them with no further attention, I would probably still > suggest that I at least even them out. The problem often comes that the > individual doesn't play the piano at all levels when trying it out. They > might sit down and mezzopiano it through some little ditty and it sounds > just fine. But force it a bit, and the lack of attention creating the right > underlying texture rears its ugly head. If that situation were to arise > (and it has) I always try and educate through demonstration. So far, nobody > has asked me to leave those inconsistencies unattended. And I would not be > inclined to do it even if they said they could live with it. Unless they > were really insistent that they wanted it that way I would not feel that the > job was finished until I had addressed those finer points. I don't think > that doing so would change the overall character of the tone but it > certainly would refine it. > > If they hire me to do the job, they hire me, in part, for my expertise in > this area. I explain beforehand what I will do, the voicing that is > required as part of the job, and the follow up after a certain amount of > playing to go over it again. > > I am talking about replacing hammers above. When I encounter a piano for > the first time and I see the need for voicing, I will ask them how they feel > about the tone. I'm not pushy, but if I judge that it's a piano and player > interested in the potential of the instrument, I will give them an overall > assessment after tuning of the general condition. I am constantly surprised > at the number of people who never knew regulation and voicing was an option > with a piano. They just thought what they heard was what they got. That > kind of assessment combined with inquiries about their goals for the type of > instrument they want have led to a number of rebuilding jobs. I am > realistic and fair. If somebody has a Lester spinet (and I do have a couple > of people who not only have them, but love them), I would not try and talk > them into a rebuilding job. There are times when it's best to leave well > enough alone. > > David Love > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <Kdivad@AOL.COM> > To: <pianotech@ptg.org> > Sent: August 12, 2002 7:26 PM > Subject: Re: voicing new hammers > > > In a message dated Sun, 11 Aug 2002 9:39:45 PM Eastern Standard Time, > davidlovepianos@earthlink.net writes: > > > > > > > I don't know David, you kind of lost me on your point, and I think you > > missed mine on the MacDonald's this I never suggested the tech did > > something wrong by not voicing them. As I mentioned in an earlier post, > > it's their piano and they have to play it so make them happy. I have left > > hammers alone on many occasions when I thought attention was needed but > the > > customer said they liked it as it was. But think of it this way. You > take > > your car in because it's running like sh--. The mechanic changes the > points > > and plugs and let's you start it up. It runs a hell of a lot better than > it > > did before and you are thrilled. He says, "well do you want me to set the > > timing". You say, "hell no, it's running great now, why fu--, with it". > > Should he say okay and let you drive it out? Or should he try and explain > > the importance of setting the timing? Personally, I'd rather he just did > > what was considered a necessary part of the job. That is, unless he > didn't > > know how to set the timing. Then I guess I'd rather he left it alone but > > tell me about it so I could decide if I wanted to have someone else set > the > > timing. > > > > By the way, In 'n Out burgers are definitely better than MacDonalds, but > > then there's no accounting for taste. > > > > David Love > > > > > David, thanks for your reply, I am a little puzzled though because when > reading your original post I definitly got the impression that you thought > the technician did do something wrong. I believe you said that "you > couldn't see any reason for leaving a Renner/Abel hammer unresilient or a > Steinway hammer to soft." I believe one valid reason is that the customer > prefered the hammer just the way it sounded, unvoiced. Your example about > the mechanic also gave me the impression that you felt the tech did > something wrong by not voicing, even against the owners wishes. Let me use > your mechanic scenario, suppose an owner takes his car to you for a tune up. > You finish everything but setting the timing and he shows up. While his car > is sitting there idling a little rough he responds, "man that is just what I > am looking for, it sounds like I have a high performance cam in it!!" You > try to explain that the job is not done but he hears nothing. Should you > let him drive away? Of cours! > e you should (if the car is safe to drive). The most you can do is monitor > the situation down the road. > > OK, you got me with the burgers. > > David Koelzer > Vintage Pianos > DFW > > >
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