I don't find newer Yamaha hammers to be that hard...needles go in easily. I do voice with 1 needle only so that may be the difference. David I. ----- Original message ----------------------------------------> From: SUSAN P SWEARINGEN <ssclabr8@flash.net> To: <pianotech@ptg.org> Received: Thu, 11 Jul 2002 18:05:53 -0500 Subject: Re: Voicing the new piano >Hi everyone, >I remember talking to David Durbin from Yamaha about steaming hammers and he >wasn't too keen on it. He said that he much preferred traditional needling >to steaming. In my experience, the Yamaha hammers are extremely hard and >very difficult to needle. I am interested in the steaming procedure but >have heard that it is very easy to oversteam hammers and once you've done >that, they are ruined. Can anyone give a specific procedure for hammer >steaming? >Corte Swearingen >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Baldwin Yamaha Piano Centre" <baldwin@mta-01.sk.sympatico.ca> >To: <pianotech@ptg.org> >Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2002 2:01 PM >Subject: Re: Voicing the new piano >> Hi David, >> A very light steaming over the crown every 6 months can >> greatly extend the life of those hammers. We have done it with some U1's >in >> University practice studios for 5 yrs now, and no reshaping as of yet. The >> light steaming will just pop the grooves out. Dry iron after to set the >felt. >> Less invasive than needling. >> Regards Roger >> >> At 11:28 PM 7/10/02 -0700, you wrote: >> >These are SF Ballet's studio pianos. Played by high level musicians for >> >high level dance. Classes always use pianists and pianos. We just >> >swapped our 20 year old Kawais for the Yamahas. I'm looking for some >> >discussion on what is happening with the piano hammer over time, >> >especially with the new hammer. I think I'll probably hold off on the >> >Ronsen hammers for awhile...;-] I'm not particularly keen on steam but >as >> >I get desperate who knows? Right now the pianos sound wonderful and I >> >have this fantasy of keeping them that way...;-] >> > >> >David I. >> > >> > >> >----- Original message ----------------------------------------> >> >From: David Love <davidlovepianos@earthlink.net> >> >To: <pianotech@ptg.org> >> >Received: Wed, 10 Jul 2002 21:53:43 -0700 >> >Subject: Re: Voicing the new piano >> > >> > >What are the expectations on the pianos and what are they used for? >Are >> > >they practice pianos? Teaching pianos? New pianos or old pianos? My >> > >experience is that heavily used Yamaha's are difficult to keep voiced >to an >> > >acceptable level without less traditional methods such as steaming. >> > >Steaming is also an easy method for voicing down the uprights where the >> > >hammers are not so needle accessible. Overall the pianos will benefit >from >> > >string seating, proper hammer shaping and fitting. If the clangy >rattly >> > >sounds disappear when you mute the duplex on the tuning pin side (on >the >> > >grands), and if you are not steaming, shoulder needling followed by >single >> > >needles inserted off the strike point straight down parallel to the >moulding >> > >will eliminate those noises). Heavily used Yamaha hammers are a >challenge. >> > >A more radical move would be changing the hammers to a nice soft Ronsen >> > >hammer which will do wonders for voicing stability and rounding out the >> > >tone. >> > >> > >Generally, the hammer will compact most quickly over the crown, more >slowly >> > >in the shoulder. >> > >> > >David Love >> > >> > >> > >----- Original Message ----- >> > >From: "David Ilvedson" <ilvey@sbcglobal.net> >> > >To: <pianotech@ptg.org> >> > >Sent: July 10, 2002 5:41 PM >> > >Subject: Voicing the new piano >> > >> > >> > >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. >> > >> > >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. >> > >> > >Thanks in advance >> > >> > >David I. >> >> Roger >>
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