Lower end, rock hard hammers

[Barbara Richmond]

----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Dean May" <deanmay@pianorebuilders.com>
> To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Thursday, September 30, 2004 1:40 PM
> Subject: Advice on Lyon & Healy


>> Horace wrote:
>> I have come to the definite conclusion that talking about this issue (of
>> lacquer versus tension) is a complete waste on both sides


> Part of my frustration with the discussion is that it does not help me and
> lots of other techs who work on lower end Asian pianos that are shipped
> with
> rock hard hammers. What are we supposed to do with these? Most of us do
> not
> work on concert instruments all the time with high end hammers.

But, Dean, we have had discussions on what to do with rock hard
hammers--wasn't there a whole thread not too long ago about using vice-grips
to soften-up shoulders so voicing needles can get in?  I think the argument
was whether or not vice grips were a legitimate option.  In my opinion they
are.

Here's what I used to do with that kind of hammer when I worked for a
dealer:   I would use vice-grips on the shoulder (carefully!).  The
vice-grips would soften the hammer enough so I could get my voicing needles
in.  Then I would needle the shoulders until the cup (made by the
vice-grips) would disappear.  That would really open up the tone.  Then,
with a single needle parallel with the strike point of the hammer, I would
take a single stitch (or however many I thought I needed) just barely below
each of the string lines (so you have that thin layer of "soft").  Sometimes
I'd follow with a bit of sugar coating.  Whether you prefer to get there
with needles only or vice-grips and needles, you are shooting for the same
thing:  increased sustain and an attack that is capable of producing various
tone colors.

I don't work on concert instruments all the time either. In fact, I just
work part-time, so I can be home when my child is home. This week I've
worked on the Steinway D that I've talked about, I tuned & voiced a Steinway
B in a home, and raised the pitch, tuned, glued loose hammer heads, aligned
a damper and took care of some squeaking keys and voiced a Baldwin spinet.
There's always a spinet to work on, hey?


BTW, Don Mannino and Nick Gravagne gave an excellent class on voicing Kawais
(needles only in a nice controlled fashion) in Nashville.  It was great.  If
you have the chance to see it sometime, I highly recommend it.


Barbara Richmond, RPT