---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment On 12-mrt-04, at 17:21, Phil Bondi wrote: > Thanks as always for the tips and suggestions. > > There's been a few of you who say stay away from the steam..and my=20 > question is...why? > > Isn't the Yamaha hammer the same hammer that, in my experiences, has=20= > shown a dramatic affect on tone and voice using this technique? I'm=20 > not talking about making the hammers mush..I'm talking about 1second=20= > at the shoulders to start to loosen things up. > > I don't mean to stir the pot here, but when someone tells me no, I=20 > would like to know the reason why your opinion is no, or why your=20 > experiences say no..I really prefer the experienced voice over the=20 > opinion, but I will listen to both, obviously. > > ..and yes, FFF on this instrument sounds distorted to me..my test for=20= > tuning stability involves hard-playing block triads played=20 > chromatically for 5 measures..it's not sounding good to my ears right=20= > now..MF all the way down to PPP sounds solid and consistent, outside=20= > of the voice itself. > > Phil Bondi(Fl) > Hi Phil and list, A little late, but I was gone a few days. There is a reason why you should NOT use steam on the CFIII-S hammers. The reason is that Yamaha uses Wurzen felt only on this instrument. Wurzen felt is usually milder than all the other felts on the market=20 and has the highest fiber interlocking and a great natural elasticity. The felt was originally made with the use of heat and pressure=20 (followed by an intricate process of further shaking and felting) and=20 and all this refined end product needs is some gentle needling. Since the re-introduction of Wurzen felt (early 90's) we had to learn=20 again how to voice it, and the voicing process is completely different=20= from voicing Royal George felt, VFG felt and other felts not made in=20 Wurzen (DL). Just this last weekend there was a seminar on regulating and voicing a=20= Steinway B in Paris and those present, were amazed by how (relatively)=20= simple it is to voice Wurzen felt hammers. Over the years, I have come to the conclusion that there is (generally=20= speaking) a very big difference in voicing methods between technicians=20= in the US and other parts of the world and I know it has to do with the=20= fact that Americans have gone a complete different way in the treatment=20= of hammer felts (again, generally speaking). There is for instance the=20= American preference for softer felt and then bringing up the percussive=20= standards by using several kinds of hammer dopes. On this list I have=20 been able to learn something about several steam-voicing-methods used=20 on your side of the ocean but I can at the same time tell you that in=20 Europe and Asia, voicing is usually done with needles and with the use=20= of hammer hardener for the lowest bass and highest treble only. Most hammers in Europe are bought either from Renner or Abel and these=20= hammers are usually not meant for juicing up because they have a=20 certain density already, and the whole piano industry in Europe and=20 Asia is focused on voicing them down with needles. I also understand that in the US there has probably come into existence=20= a hybrid voicing method consisting of using both needles and steam, and=20= I suppose many technicians there have perfected it and are used to it,=20= just as we are used to needles only The reason why I come forward with this little story is that I have had=20= the opportunity to get to know the Yamaha CFIII-S very well in the=20 factory, and my advice not to use steam is based on this experience. friendly greetings from Andr=E9 Oorebeek Amsterdam - The Netherlands 0031-20-6237357 0645-492389 0031-75-6226878 www.concertpianoservice.nl www.grandpiano.nl "where music is, no harm can be" ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 3763 bytes Desc: not available Url : https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/ce/d0/fe/44/attachment.bin ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC