Voicing M&H BB

[David Ilvedson]

I think if you were to pull the action and squeeze one of the hammers while
wiggling, you will find that they come right off.  Look for separation
between molding and felt.  NEW HAMMERS OR FORGET IT!

David I.

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 10/24/01 at 9:13 PM Farrell wrote:

>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