Chris... :) At the risk of... whatever.... :):)... how can you state on one hand "NOT to imply that some changes can't be made with needles on the shoulders" right after stating outright that "Ron Connors proved this to everyone by cutting away piece after piece from the shoulders of the hammer felt until only the strike area was left on the molding. Sounded the same as with the the shoulders on." ?? Sounds a bit self contradictory on the surface of it doesn't it ? Otherwise... not having much experience or personal preference for using lacquer on hammers... I'll stay basically out of this one :) Cheers RicB Lacquer and thinner solution is best applied to concert pianos directly on the crown which will allow the solids to fall into the area of the hammer that does the striking, above the molding tip, on forte playing. The rest is as dreamy as little membranes vibrating in the soundboard to carry resonance. Ron Connors proved this to everyone by cutting away piece after piece from the shoulders of the hammer felt until only the strike area was left on the molding. Sounded the same as with the the shoulders on. NOT to imply that some changes can't be made with needles on the shoulders and even below but not the power that you are looking for. It's all about building up the strike point. Hammer polarity is about needling not lacquering. But that's really a different issue. Chris Solliday
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