Strike Point

[Avery Todd]

David,
   I scrolled down the list of messages and didn't see any response to your
questions yet, so I'll jump in with a few thoughts I have.
>
>Dear Friends,
>

   One comment here: I've seen hammers that were that way when brand new,
from Baldwin, so isn't "necessarily" the fault of a poor shaping job.
However, I've seen that, too. <G>

>A friend of mine restrung a Baldwin Studio but reused the original hammers.
>The hammers, unfortunately, are misshapen because of a poor hammer shaping
>job (more felt on the underneath side of the hammers than on top of the
>hammers).  The hammers really should be replaced, but that will probably not
>get done.  The tone in the top section is very poor, because the hammers are
>striking too far away from the v-bar.
>

   I'm really not too sure that I would experiment this way on a customer's
piano. Yes, probably anything done could be undone if it didn't work, but
why make all that extra work?
   My first concern is that you would be changing the strike point, hammer
position relative to the string grooves already there and damper position
on just about the entire action. Maybe only a little in the bass, tenor and
middle areas, but a change none the less.
   My immediate thoughts are about changing the position of the dampers on
the strings, above what "should" already be their optimum point for the
best damping. You would then have to lower the dampers on the wire, then
re-bend for correct angles. While doing this you would also have to contend
with the string grooves already in the felt to keep from getting any
extraneous ringing.
   My next thought would be the lost motion/capstan adjustments necessary.
Is there enough length on the capstans to allow for raising them without
making them loose in their holes?
   The hammers might also have to be re-filed in part of the action if there
are string grooves there. Also, what about the angle of the hammers in the
middle section, particularly, in relation to the strings. I may be
exaggerating the changes this would make, but I'm just trying to think of
all the possibilities. This might be an interesting experiment in the shop,
on your
own piano, but I think you *might* be opening up a great big "can of worms"
by doing this.
   I would think that if a fair rate were charged for all the extra work
this would entail, it would cost a fairly good chunk of what a new hammer
job would cost. I think the best thing would be, as you mention, to replace
the hammers.
If that is just totally out of the question, rather than go through all of
the extra work mentioned above, if the sound just "has" to be improved, I
think I would consider just replacing the shanks in the top octave or so to
correct the strike point, going as far down as any improvement in sound
would be achieved.
   Just a few random thoughts for you to consider. Hope this gives you some
ideas.

Avery

>For future reference, what is the best way to raise up the action so that
>the hammers will strike in the correct place?  Of course one would adjust
>the posts that the feet of the action brackets sit on.  If these posts are
>adjusted taller, would I then have to respace hammers and re-regulate the
>dampers?  What else would change that should need to be adjusted? Or would
>the best option be to replace the hammers and re-regulate the action?
>
>Questioning!
>
>David A. Vanderhoofven

_____________________________________
Avery Todd, RPT
Moores School of Music
University of Houston
Houston, TX 77204-4893
713-743-3226
atodd@uh.edu
_____________________________________