<< a S&S M Ser # 260740, that the owner wanted voiced so the sound was not so "hard." After some conversation, it was determined that he wanted its tone to be darker for accompaning vocalists. It is a bright piano, has original S&S hammers that have been shaped recently. Action is regulated and plays well. I am looking for an efficient way to darken the tone-voice down the sound. How does one go about this with these hammers? >> Greetings, Straight down into the crown of the hammer. I go almost as deep as the felt is thick,(just short of the needle hitting wood). Begin with two sticks, one each between the string grooves. Listen. If more is needed, you may want to insert a needle into the end of the middle string cut and push it all the way to the bottom. Listen again. continue "killing" the area under the contact point until the hammer is a little too dark and then leave alone for a while. If there is a lot of lacquer in the hammer, the effects will be surprisingly short-lived. Ed Foote RPT www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/ www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html
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