voicing with pliers

[Richard Moody]

----- Original Message -----
From: <A440A@AOL.COM>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, October 19, 2000 5:30 PM
Subject: Re: Yamaha voicing...and the famous Newton!


> Greetings,
> <<Newton and I voiced it down (needle) a bit when he was here in Central
>  Ill. Aside from installing different hammers to make it not sound like a
>  Yamaha. What do you suggest?
>
>     I would suggest that you keep needling before you replace them.
Soften
> them hammers up, leaving just a little really hard felt down deep under
the
> strike point.  The shoulders will feel like marshmallows.  Whats to lose?

I heard the shoulders should be firm so the hammer wouldn't flatten but what
do they know whom I read?     With these discussions on "radical voicing"
like steaming, wool softener, and massive needling I am wondering if voicing
pliers should be reconsidered?   My teacher ground down a linesman pliers so
it "pinched" (from the sides)  the hammer very well.   One picture is worth
a thousand words, suffice it to say the jaws ground narrower at the tips and
wider towards the cutter. (now you really want a picture, I will try)  There
was also a limiting device so you couldn't squeeze too hard but I soon got
rid of that as I could tell better by the feel what was going on.
    These pliers should work best on chemically hardened hammers and "nubs"
hammers filed 3 or 4 times, I can vouch for nubs.   Actually the common slip
joint pliers should work as well.   For the first 3 people who ask  I will
send them out for $7.00 post paid.   If I get accolades then they should be
worth $15.00 + S&H .  Then I should figure out how to do a set that will
squeeze hammers in uprights without taking the action out ---ric