Juice (was: M&H questions)

[John Lillico, RPT]

>Ron's talk about juicing hammers reminds me that maybe
>it would be good to relate my own experiments with juicing.

>On this same piano, the first capo section was terribly
>bright and zingy. I helped the zingers some by fiddling
>with the wire, but it still had too much "tang" sound for
>the rest of the piano. So, yesterday, I added a little
>vodka to most hammers in the first capo, on the front
>shoulder.

>I found it instantly effective, really, too effective.
>I still need more experience before I can tell how to
>reverse the vodka softening, or how it lasts over time.
>For now, the tone seems good if a little soft-edged, and
>I'm leaving it for about six weeks, to see whether it
>brightens with heavy playing, which this piano gets lots
>of. The owner tried it, and can take the present (not
>extreme) softness in stride. I told him that if it starts
>to annoy him, just to say the word and I'll come and iron
>them and maybe juice them.

>Vodka does seem much pleasanter than tearing the felt
>with needles, though (and no blood on the hammers),
>and it won't leave any foreign material (like Downy)
>behind.
>
>Susan Kline

Susan,

This is a great post, especially the parts above referring to vodka. I'm going to keep it. Finally, a way to write off my consumption as a business expense. And switching from beer won't be too hard at all. Thanks.

John Lillico, RPT (hic)
Oakville, Ontario