Steinway hammer voicing

[A440A at aol.com]

<< I've got voicing to do on a D this coming week.  There are a number 
of notes that are duds.  No bloom.  Short sustain.  Like they don't 
go anywhere.  No termination problems evident.  I'd use deep shoulder 
needling to open this up usually.

Is there a different approach for lacquer hardened hammers? >>

Yes,  if you are going to needle a Steinway factory installed hammer, you 
will need to go straight down through the crown, about 1/4 inch, at least, 
between the string grooves.  If this doesn't do what you want it to, then try two 
needles, into the hammer right in the string groove, but make sure that there 
isn't just one string that is causing the zing.  
    It is always a mystery just how much lacquer there is in these hammers. 
  As far as "bloom" goes, there may or may not be any there.  



Ed Foote RPT 
http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html
www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html