At 08:28 -0500 17/2/09, David C. Stanwood wrote: >...Bill Garlick taught us a technique which is very useful on these >cold pressed hammers as a really safe way of using lacquer for >building drive in the tone. Tip the stack up on its side and add >some lacquer to the felt just above the tip of the moulding... do >one side then turn it around and do the other... It gives foundation >to the tone without having any deleterious effects on the surface of >the felt and maintains a beautiful ppp quality that is the hallmark >of a cold pressed hammer. The technique is consistent with the >Dolge model of voicing. Yes, this is the way I do it when I need to use lacquer/dope. Since I rarely find this necessary except sometimes in the high treble, I apply the dope with a needle -- one single toning needle in a holder. I lay the hammer on its side, dip the needle into a container of lacquer and push it into the hammer at point round the tip of the moulding. This is done from both sides. This way there is absolutely no risk of putting in too much and having it wick up to the crown. If a second application is needed, more dope can be injected round the moulding and there is little risk of it going to far because the first application has already formed a barrier. Brinsmead is the only maker I know from the old days who regularly lacquered hammers and I think it was probably done with a hair pencil. They used shellac, applied near the tip of the moulding. I would never let any dope or lacquer near the crown of the hammer and am surprised to hear some people do. I also differ from some Americans on the list in considering hammers that are soft from the box defective. The hammers I buy are always just a little on the bright side and can be toned to perfection using only radial needling for the basic work. This goes for hammers covered in a variety of felt including Wurzen's. JD
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC