Voicing M&H BB

[Farrell]

> Do these have the pretty green shoulder felt?

You bet! Kind of a cross between a lovely emerald green and Caribean sea
green. I'll bet they would make very stylish ornaments for the Christmas
tree!

Junk hammers? I'll buy that. But why the HUGE change in tone across the
break? I would think that if all the hammers are whatever grade of junk,
then this must go way beyond hammers only.

Del or Ron? Any input from a belly/scaling perspective?

Terry Farrell

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tom Servinsky" <tompiano@gate.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Wednesday, October 24, 2001 9:57 PM
Subject: Re: Voicing M&H BB


> Terry,
> Before you get too far into trying to figure the missing link, don't look
> any further than the hammers.  The hammers on those pianos through those
> years were a waste. There is no sustenance to drive any amount of tone.
Do
> these have the pretty green shoulder felt? I can assure you if can talk
them
> into replacing the hammers with a good quality hammer ( Abel or IssacI)
> you'll be amazed what can happen.  I did a BB a couple of years ago with
the
> same situation. Ended up voicing the hammers way on the mellow sound but
> what a huge sound I ended up with. Nice dynamic range. But when I look
back
> at those early years trying to salvage parts for the sake of salvaging bad
> parts, I didn't do anyone any service.
> Good Luck
> Tom Servinsky,RPT
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Farrell" <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, October 24, 2001 9:13 PM
> Subject: Voicing M&H BB
>
>
> > Hello Listees. I tuned a 1979 Mason & Hamlin BB (Hand Crafted by
American
> > Craftmen) today at a small low (like, really low) budget recording
studio.
> > The young fellow (very enthusiastic) there was very interested in
> improving
> > his prized piano. The voicing is horrible. His general comments were
that
> > the bass is excellent and the rest of the piano is too "dark", and "it
> > doesn't sound like a Yamaha - will replacing the strings make it
> > brighter?" - he wants it brighter. My observations were that the bass is
> > very bright and brassy and loud and powerful. That drops right off with
> the
> > lowest tenor note - very mellow and quiet - as is the rest of the
piano -
> > except for occassional tinny-bright notes in tenor and treble. The piano
> is
> > in average shape over-all - it was in a church prior to this guy buying
it
> 4
> > years ago (for $4,800).
> >
> > Anyway, to please this guy, the task is to brighten up all the plain
wire
> > sections in general, even out the few odd balls, and do something with
the
> > bass tenor break - it's worse than most spinets (is this common on this
> > piano?). It has the little green hammers that M&H (Aeolian) used back in
> the
> > 60s and 70s (always used???).
> >
> > I have not done much voicing. I have steamed a fair little bit. I have
> stuck
> > a few hammers with needles with generally acceptable results. I have
never
> > tried to make hammers brighter. I have a lot of written material
> describing
> > how to apply hammer hardener (laquer, etc.). What I am asking here is
for
> > some input on direction. Is a liquid hardener the way to start, etc.,
> etc.?
> > Any thoughts are welcome.
> >
> > I'm not afraid to put a soundboard in a piano, but voicing scares me - I
> > can't hold it in my hand, I can't measure it, I can't cut it, I can't
glue
> > it!
> >
> > Terry Farrell
> >
> >
>