[CAUT] Voicing Steinway D

[Richard Brekne]

Chris... :)

At the risk of... whatever.... :):)... how can you state on one hand

    "NOT to imply that some changes can't be made with needles on the
    shoulders" 

right after stating outright that

    "Ron Connors proved this to everyone by cutting away piece after
    piece from the shoulders of the hammer felt until only the strike
    area was left on the molding. Sounded the same as with the the
    shoulders on."

??  Sounds a bit self contradictory on the surface of it doesn't it ?

Otherwise... not having much experience or personal preference for using 
lacquer on hammers... I'll stay basically out of this one :)

Cheers
RicB

Lacquer and thinner solution is best applied to concert pianos directly 
on the crown which will allow the solids to fall into the area of the 
hammer that does the striking, above the molding tip, on forte playing. 
The rest is as dreamy as little membranes vibrating in the soundboard to 
carry resonance. Ron Connors proved this to everyone by cutting away 
piece after piece from the shoulders of the hammer felt until only the 
strike area was left on the molding. Sounded the same as with the the 
shoulders on. NOT to imply that some changes can't be made with needles 
on the shoulders and even below but not the power that you are looking 
for. It's all about building up the strike point. Hammer polarity is 
about needling not lacquering. But that's really a different issue.
Chris Solliday