Voicing the new piano

[SUSAN P SWEARINGEN]

Hi everyone,

I remember talking to David Durbin from Yamaha about steaming hammers and he
wasn't too keen on it.  He said that he much preferred traditional needling
to steaming.  In my experience, the Yamaha hammers are extremely hard and
very difficult to needle.  I am interested in the steaming procedure but
have heard that it is very easy to oversteam hammers and once you've done
that, they are ruined.  Can anyone give a specific procedure for hammer
steaming?

Corte Swearingen
----- Original Message -----
From: "Baldwin Yamaha Piano Centre" <baldwin@mta-01.sk.sympatico.ca>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2002 2:01 PM
Subject: Re: Voicing the new piano


> Hi David,
>                  A very light steaming over the crown every 6 months can
> greatly extend the life of those hammers. We have done it with some U1's
in
> University practice studios for 5 yrs now, and no reshaping as of yet. The
> light steaming will just pop the grooves out. Dry iron after to set the
felt.
> Less invasive than needling.
> Regards Roger
>
> At 11:28 PM 7/10/02 -0700, you wrote:
> >These are SF Ballet's studio pianos.  Played by high level musicians for
> >high level dance.  Classes always use pianists and pianos.  We just
> >swapped our 20 year old Kawais for the Yamahas.  I'm looking for some
> >discussion on what is happening with the piano hammer over time,
> >especially with the new hammer.  I think I'll probably hold off on the
> >Ronsen hammers for awhile...;-]  I'm not particularly keen on steam but
as
> >I get desperate who knows?  Right now the pianos sound wonderful and I
> >have this fantasy of keeping them that way...;-]
> >
> >David I.
> >
> >
> >----- Original message ---------------------------------------->
> >From: David Love <davidlovepianos@earthlink.net>
> >To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> >Received: Wed, 10 Jul 2002 21:53:43 -0700
> >Subject: Re: Voicing the new piano
> >
> > >What are the expectations on the pianos and what are they used for?
Are
> > >they practice pianos?  Teaching pianos?  New pianos or old pianos?  My
> > >experience is that heavily used Yamaha's are difficult to keep voiced
to an
> > >acceptable level without less traditional methods such as steaming.
> > >Steaming is also an easy method for voicing down the uprights where the
> > >hammers are not so needle accessible.  Overall the pianos will benefit
from
> > >string seating, proper hammer shaping and fitting.  If the clangy
rattly
> > >sounds disappear when you mute the duplex on the tuning pin side (on
the
> > >grands), and if you are not steaming, shoulder needling followed by
single
> > >needles inserted off the strike point straight down parallel to the
moulding
> > >will eliminate those noises).  Heavily used Yamaha hammers are a
challenge.
> > >A more radical move would be changing the hammers to a nice soft Ronsen
> > >hammer which will do wonders for voicing stability and rounding out the
> > >tone.
> >
> > >Generally, the hammer will compact most quickly over the crown, more
slowly
> > >in the shoulder.
> >
> > >David Love
> >
> >
> > >----- Original Message -----
> > >From: "David Ilvedson" <ilvey@sbcglobal.net>
> > >To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> > >Sent: July 10, 2002 5:41 PM
> > >Subject: Voicing the new piano
> >
> >
> > >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.
> >
> > >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.
> >
> > >Thanks in advance
> >
> > >David I.
>
> Roger
>