We have a Steinbuhler 7/8 action for a "D" in our main recital hall. It isn't used a lot, but it is used. A couple of weeks ago it was being used for a master class and the Ronsen Wurzen hammers were just a little too soft. The sound was really nice, but the treble didn't have enough higher partials to be heard well over the bass. It sounded muddy in the hall. The professor who uses it wanted some more zing! I'm not a big fan of over doping - particularly on really nice hammers. As a first step I went to CVS pharmacy down the street and got a can of 98-cent Suave Extra-hold hairspray. I covered everything but the hammers with newspaper and sprayed all the hammers but more on the treble ones. The next morning it sounded pretty good. The professor who prefers not to fight a dull instrument was very happy with it so I quit meddling with it. I have to admit I've never tried that before, but had read it somewhere (this list?) and thought that was probably as benign a starting place as any. I don't think it would have worked on less dense felt, but on the Wurzens it really worked well. dp __________________________ David M. Porritt, RPT Meadows School of the Arts Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX 75275 dporritt@smu.edu
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