Voicing the new piano

[Tom Servinsky]

Dittos to Roger's response.  I've been doing the same to our college
practice room instruments for sometime and relatively good voicing
maintained without much needling.
Tom Servinsky, RPT

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-pianotech@ptg.org [mailto:owner-pianotech@ptg.org]On Behalf
Of Baldwin Yamaha Piano Centre
Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2002 3:01 PM
To: pianotech@ptg.org
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