[pianotech] Brighter Yamaha

[Delwin D Fandrich]

Wool is hygroscopic. It does absorb and desorb moisture and the tone
characteristic changes as a result. Normally the change is slight and
gradual. This may not be so slight. 

I'd certainly let time do what it will before attempting to chemically
harden hammers that already have the reputation of being granite in
disguise. And then, if they do not harden up enough to cause permanent
hearing damage after they have dried out I'd sand off a layer before pouring
on the chemicals. And, as Ron suggested, I'd try ironing them a bit.

ddf

Delwin D Fandrich
Piano Design & Fabrication
6939 Foothill Court SW, Olympia, Washington 98512 USA
Phone  360.515.0119 — Cell  360.388.6525
del at fandrichpiano.com — ddfandrich at gmail.com

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of tnrwim at aol.com
Sent: Thursday, November 29, 2012 8:30 PM
To: Pianotech
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Brighter Yamaha

Thanks for the advice, so far. As a follow, I've that high humidity has an
effect on hammers. This piano sat in empty house for five years in Hilo, but
was moved to Oahu 2 weeks ago and is now in an air condition hall. 

 Hilo is on the Windward side of the Big Island of Hawaii, where it rains A
LOT. The piano is only 6 years old and has never been used. It has had a
string cover and a damp chaser, so there no damage, and the hammers are
virtually brand new. 

Would the being exposed to a lot of humidity be the reason the hammers are
soft, and if I just wait 6 months they will brighten up by themselves?

Wim
Sent from my iPhone

On Nov 29, 2012, at 3:57 PM, tnrwim at aol.com wrote:

> We usually have knock the edge off Yamaha hammers. But a church just got a
small grand where the killer octaves need a little boost.  What is the
recommended method for "juicing" up Yamaha hammers
> 
> Wim
> 
> Sent from my iPhone