I am of the mind to do as little as possible to the hammers, or no more than I have to...I'm with you on wondering how much voicing leads to the death of hammers. David I. ----- Original message ----------------------------------------> From: Richard Brekne <Richard.Brekne@grieg.uib.no> To: <pianotech@ptg.org> Received: Thu, 11 Jul 2002 12:10:28 +0200 Subject: Re: Voicing the new piano >David Ilvedson wrote: >> >> List, >> >> I would interested in hearing input about maintaining new pianos. Particularly voicing. > I have a new fleet of 9 Yamaha pianos (is that a fleet?) I am servicing on a very regular >basis...carte blanc. 1 C5, 3 C2s, 3 U1s and 2 P22s. Another P22 in the near future. >These pianos are played 6 days a week for several hours each day. >> >Well I am not sure... are they afloat ?... perhaps you could >call them a flock but then they might need to be flying... >or a school maybe...nah... then again a bunch would be all >tied up and a bit vulgar anyways... I suppose you could use >a litter seeings how they are all so new... or you could >just say "a few" :) >> How does playing affect the new hammer, or any hammer? Where is the compaction >taking place? What do you do with the clangy, rattlely sound in the trebIe when it >shows in ugly face. I have my own techniques, but I'm interested in what others do. >I think the hammer is getting packed in a flattening sense, >which means the mid shoulders are being pushed / stretched >outwards at the same time that the area right under the >crown is getting more compact. >Hammers used that much seem to need a quick touch up voicing >perhaps once every month or 6 weeks depending on how hard >they are banged at. Perhaps about 10 medium to short stabs >just down the shoulders from the crown... should take about >15 - 20 minutetes top including a bit of dressing up the >shape when you get good at it. I take a bit longer still, >but I've seen fellows who "can" whip right through a set of >hammers in this fashion with great results. >What I wonder about tho is just how many times you can voice >a set of hammers like this before the felt is just all >ripped up. Would seem that hammer replacement would become >more a function of how much needling has been done rather >then wear in these high usage instruments. >RicB >> >> Thanks in advance >> >> David I.
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