Juice (was: M&H questions)

[Susan Kline]

At 02:05 PM 07/28/2000 -0400, you wrote:
> >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

Beer really smells up a piano.

Susan