Hi List, I reshaped hammers on a Poole 1940ish spinet (yup, I did). Did this because client was complaining of uneven tone across the keyboard (due to deep and uneven wear in the hammers). The piano is sentimental, and she was very willing to pay for the work. It turned out not bad, I might add. The tone is now very even, bottom to top. I talked to her after the shaping, and she says it is now too harsh/bright for her. (In my opinion, it sounds much better, almost mellow!) I haven't softened the hammers, yet. Then she mentioned her hearing aids - she's 72. The light bulb clicked on! Maybe the hearing aids are making what she hears harsher/brighter than what it really is? I recall hearing about this before. Should I turn those hammers into mashed potatoes to please her? Something tells me to please the client, but something else tells me to avoid turning the piano into a fluff ball, but, then again, it's only a spinet. How far do we go when the client has specific demands? Any comments from anyone with experience in this matter? . . . and not to mention the brittle and crumbly plastic flanges - oh brother! Best Regards, John Piesik, RPT
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