Fred, got any pictures? I use a multiple-needle tool, but part of what it does is to limit depth so shift voicing is fast. Doug On Sep 15, 2007, at 9:29 AM, Fred Sturm wrote: > I'll agree with Eric essentially about the current Steinway > hammers. My > last couple sets - pre-lacquered in the factory - were about where > they > would be after my first lacquering, and needed more in the top couple > octaves. So it was basically a time/step saver for me. The evenness > and > shape are far better than even two years ago. (One set I bought > prehung, and > I'm not sure I'll do that again - needed too much travel and > burning. They > were pre-traveled, and half my traveling was removing their paper, > meaning > it was twice as much work as doing it myself). But for those who hate > lacquer, obviously you don't want these hammers. Hey, they're > lacquered! > They're intended to be lacquered! > I have found that bringing down lacquered hammers that are too > harsh/bright for the customer can often be done quickly and in a very > controlled way by using small diameter needles in a fixture. The > Steinway > guys are using, for una corda, a hammershank with a sawn slot, > jammed with 5 > - 6 #6 needles (pressed against one another with no gap), held in > by glue. I > find this a rather crude tool, and have made my own, far more subtle > adaptations of the idea. I use a piece of that Renner spacing > material (1/8" > x 1/2" or so hornbeam material used between rows of shanks in the > packing > box), and drill holes in the end with a #70 or so bit. It's touchy > work to > set up precisely spaced and centerpunched dimples, but then the > drill press > (with a pin punch adapter) does a great job. I have several with > different > spacings and needle sizes, and find I use #10 and #12 needles the > most, with > #8 and #7 for occasional use, usually una corda only. Gaps between > each > needle range from a little less than 1 mm to 2 mm or so, and the > needles > stick out only about 2 - 3 mm. > I use these voicing tools in the string groove, straight down > to the > hilt into the crown (or not so deep If I choose), and once on > either side of > the crown. The #12's do a very subtle job of taking away zing, and > can be > used two, three, or more times as needed. Then thicker needles in > the una > corda full and between positions. > Touch up with these tools is fast, and lasts pretty well. I > guess I have > "moderate heavy use," not like what Eric describes <G>, but I find > that a > voicing touchup will last a few months before it is getting raucous > again. I > find these thin needles especially effective in the high treble, > where fat > needles just make woodpecker holes and are quite ineffective and > uncontrollable in changing tone color. I use these same techniques > with > hard-pressed hammers as well. > I guess I should add that these needle sizes are available in > large > fabric stores, for embroidery or other special use. While you're > there, you > can find nice circular wheel cutters of various diameters (Olfa and > other > brands) and large cutting pads, an array of fine scissors, eyelet > tools and > supplies, and lots of other handy stuff - yet another tool store to > spend > money in <G>. > About hammer longevity, I have a theory that needling style has > a big > effect. I think there is a big difference between sudden jabbing and > relatively slow pressing of the needles into the felt. Jabbing > tears far > more fibers than pressing. So jabbing will lead to more rapid wear. > And with > Steinway, it's more a matter of diameter of needle. The narrower > ones do a > lot less fiber tearing. > Regards, > Fred Sturm > University of New Mexico > > On 9/13/07 2:19 PM, "Wolfley, Eric (wolfleel)" > <WOLFLEEL at ucmail.uc.edu> > wrote: > >> Dennis, >> >> I've had nothing but good experience with these hammers and I've >> found >> that the quality control (i.e. shape and uniformity) is much >> better now >> than it was even a couple of years ago. After experimenting with many >> other hammers over the years, I won't put any other hammers on a NY >> Steinway. In the past I would find myself soaking Steinway hammers >> 2-3 >> times in a 3:1 lacquer thinner to lacquer solution (2:1 for large >> grands) before I felt there was a good foundation to the tone. >> With the >> pre-lacquered hammers I'll still find myself soaking the set at least >> once. Obviously this will make the surface quite bright. It is >> easy and >> quick to get this harshness to go away with shallow needling at the >> strikepoint which leaves the firmness underneath producing a big, fat >> tone. This is the method that the Steinway concert techs use and >> it is >> quite effective. I use this method whether the piano is going into a >> practice room, living room or onstage though the smaller, lighter >> hammers tend to need less lacquer. There must be a differentiation >> made >> between the term "power" and "brightness". Some people (notably >> pianists) seem to use those words interchangeably. The current NY >> hammers sound fairly "bright" right out of the box but it is mainly >> surface brightness. This brightness can be manipulated by surface >> needling but if the hammer doesn't have a good foundation the tone >> may >> then sound dead. If the hammer seems to "die" when you shallow-needle >> the strikepoint, it probably needs more lacquer underneath. >> >> The hammers are lacquered at the factory by being dipped together >> as a >> set in what I was told is 3:1 lacquer for 30 seconds. This ensures a >> certain amount of uniformity. It is hard to imagine that you have >> gotten >> a set that is overlacquered unless somebody lost track and dipped >> your >> set twice. Of course, stranger things have happened. BTW, I always >> listen to the hammers in the piano before doing any lacquering. >> >> Also BTW, Steinway will be offering a voicing class as part of the >> CAUT >> program next June at the PTG convention in Anaheim. All, as >> always, are >> welcome, of course. >> >> Eric >> >> Eric Wolfley, RPT >> Head Piano Technician >> Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music >> University of Cincinnati >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of >> johnsond >> Sent: Thursday, September 13, 2007 11:31 AM >> To: College and University Technicians >> Subject: [CAUT] The "new" S&S Hammers. >> >> >> Anyone care to share your experiences with the new S&S Hammers >> from this >> >> summer? They come with a note to us Technicians...... >> ________ >> "Due to a process improvement in the manufacturing...... you may >> notice >> >> a slightly harder hammer. With this in mind we would suggest that >> you >> do not juice these hammers before testing in the piano. Juicing >> these >> hammers before installation and pre-testing may result in a brighter >> than anticipated tone. " >> ________ >> >> OK- Actually the hammers looked good and shaped up just fine. I >> did >> not put one drop of lacquer or any other hardener on these hammers >> except for 4 notes in the high treble. The piano has been back in >> service now for a couple months. They are bright indeed!! Just this >> morning the faculty pianist actually told me that now he "hates" this >> piano. I am trying keep him patient and working with them, but >> there is >> >> only so much needling I can do. I can't take the piano out of >> service >> to wash them with thinner until maybe Christmas break. The worst >> part >> is that it starts to make me look bad when the player is beginning to >> wish he had the old worn hammers back...... @#$! I'm sorry, >> but we >> are not paid enough to take that kind of responsibility for >> materials. >> >> >> So.... Anyone else have a better experience? Maybe it's just this >> set- >> >> thanks, >> >> Dennis Johnson >> St. Olaf College >> >> >
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