Voicing the new piano

[David Ilvedson]

I am of the mind to do as little as possible to the hammers, or no more than I have to...I'm with you on wondering how much voicing leads to the death of hammers.

David I.

----- Original message ---------------------------------------->
From: Richard Brekne <Richard.Brekne@grieg.uib.no>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Received: Thu, 11 Jul 2002 12:10:28 +0200
Subject: Re: Voicing the new piano

>David Ilvedson wrote:
>>
>> List,
>>
>> I would interested in hearing input about maintaining new pianos.  Particularly voicing.
> I have a new fleet of 9 Yamaha pianos (is that a fleet?) I am servicing on a very regular
>basis...carte blanc.  1 C5, 3 C2s, 3 U1s and 2 P22s.  Another P22 in the near future.
>These pianos are played 6 days a week for several hours each day.
>>

>Well I am not sure... are they afloat ?... perhaps you could
>call them a flock but then they might need to be flying...
>or a school maybe...nah... then again a bunch would be all
>tied up and a bit vulgar anyways... I suppose you could use
>a litter seeings how they are all so new... or you could
>just say "a few" :)

>> How does playing affect the new hammer, or any hammer?  Where is the compaction
>taking place?  What do you do with the clangy, rattlely sound in the trebIe when it
>shows in ugly face.  I have my own techniques, but I'm interested in what others do.


>I think the hammer is getting packed in a flattening sense,
>which means the mid shoulders are being pushed / stretched
>outwards at the same time that the area right under the
>crown is getting more compact.


>Hammers used that much seem to need a quick touch up voicing
>perhaps once every month or 6 weeks depending on how hard
>they are banged at. Perhaps about 10 medium to short stabs
>just down the shoulders from the crown...  should take about
>15 - 20 minutetes top including a bit of dressing up the
>shape when you get good at it. I take a bit longer still,
>but I've seen fellows who "can" whip right through a set of
>hammers in this fashion with great results.

>What I wonder about tho is just how many times you can voice
>a set of hammers like this before the felt is just all
>ripped up. Would seem that hammer replacement would become
>more a function of how much needling has been done rather
>then wear in these high usage instruments.

>RicB
>>
>> Thanks in advance
>>
>> David I.