Voicing M&H BB

[Farrell]

> Look for separation
> between molding and felt.

You guys are always so right-on. I glued a whole set of these "little green
monsters" back on their moldings a couple weeks ago (bad console) - so, yup
I've seen that before. I hadn't seen the whole hammer coming off the shank
though - I'll check if he wants to pursue it. The piano appears to have
gotten a fair bit of "agressive church playing" in the past and the hammers
are fairly deeply grooved. I think this guy needs to consider three
possibilities: work with what he has and don't expect miracles; new hammers;
or sell his M&H at a profit and just go buy a Yamaha!

Terry Farrell

----- Original Message -----
From: "David Ilvedson" <ilvey@sbcglobal.net>
To: "pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2001 1:46 AM
Subject: Re: Voicing M&H BB


> I think if you were to pull the action and squeeze one of the hammers
while
> wiggling, you will find that they come right off.  Look for separation
> between molding and felt.  NEW HAMMERS OR FORGET IT!
>
> David I.
>
> *********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********
>
> On 10/24/01 at 9:13 PM Farrell wrote:
>
> >Hello Listees. I tuned a 1979 Mason & Hamlin BB (Hand Crafted by American
> >Craftmen) today at a small low (like, really low) budget recording
studio.
> >The young fellow (very enthusiastic) there was very interested in
> improving
> >his prized piano. The voicing is horrible. His general comments were that
> >the bass is excellent and the rest of the piano is too "dark", and "it
> >doesn't sound like a Yamaha - will replacing the strings make it
> >brighter?" - he wants it brighter. My observations were that the bass is
> >very bright and brassy and loud and powerful. That drops right off with
> the
> >lowest tenor note - very mellow and quiet - as is the rest of the piano -
> >except for occassional tinny-bright notes in tenor and treble. The piano
> is
> >in average shape over-all - it was in a church prior to this guy buying
it
> >4
> >years ago (for $4,800).
> >
> >Anyway, to please this guy, the task is to brighten up all the plain wire
> >sections in general, even out the few odd balls, and do something with
the
> >bass tenor break - it's worse than most spinets (is this common on this
> >piano?). It has the little green hammers that M&H (Aeolian) used back in
> >the
> >60s and 70s (always used???).
> >
> >I have not done much voicing. I have steamed a fair little bit. I have
> >stuck
> >a few hammers with needles with generally acceptable results. I have
never
> >tried to make hammers brighter. I have a lot of written material
> describing
> >how to apply hammer hardener (laquer, etc.). What I am asking here is for
> >some input on direction. Is a liquid hardener the way to start, etc.,
> etc.?
> >Any thoughts are welcome.
> >
> >I'm not afraid to put a soundboard in a piano, but voicing scares me - I
> >can't hold it in my hand, I can't measure it, I can't cut it, I can't
glue
> >it!
> >
> >Terry Farrell
>
>
>
>