Just a few months ago, I applied an alcohol/water solution to my Yamaha U1
hammers because I had the same problem - couldn't get even a single needle
to penetrate the hammers - they just kept breaking off. My U1 is only
about 5 years old but the hammers were like concrete.
My intention was to soften up the hammers so I could needle them but after
applying the solution, the bright/harsh tone was drastically brought down
and so I decided not to needle them. I would assume that the needles would
be easier to insert once the hammers have been soaked with this
alcohol/water solution (and allowed to dry overnight).
Before I did this, I was constantly playing with the soft pedal trying to
coax a softer/warmer sound from the instrument. I really love the tone
change after using the solution. Be careful however as it will bring a
drastic change. You will be able to play softer and get a much warmer tone
but it will be at the expense of being able to get a ff or triple ff out of
the instrument. For me, personally, it was a trade-off that was worth it.
It's been about 6-8 weeks since I did this and the tone has brightened up a
bit but it still has a much warmer pleasing tone than before. I should
mention that after I soaked the hammers and they dried, I shaped the
hammers, fine strip-sanded them with 300 grit emory cloth, and finally
ironed the hammers to a very smooth polish.
There is also someone on this list that recommends steaming the hammers.
Seems to me that this would have similar effect in that it expands the
fibers within the hammer. The only reason I didn't try steaming was that,
for me, it was much easier to simply use the alcohol/water solution from a
eye-dropper.
Corte Swearingen
Chicago
Erwinspiano@aol.c
om To: pianotech@ptg.org
Sent by: cc:
pianotech-bounces Subject: Re: Yamaha hammers
@ptg.org
11/06/2003 09:42
AM
Please respond to
Pianotech
In a message dated 11/6/2003 6:04:04 AM Pacific Standard Time,
A440A@aol.com writes:
> The hammers are so hard that if you begin at the upper shoulder, the
> tension in them will tear them apart after a while.
> Regards,
> Ed Foote RPT
Hi Ed
And Yamaha builds these hammers this way because...............?
For all my debt of professional gratitude due Yamaha & for all there
ingenius wonderful pianos I can't figure this & have never heard an
explanation. Soundboard that vibrate freely DO NOT require hammers O stone.
Still don't get it in Modesto.--Dale
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