?? Voice ??

[Richard Brekne]

Joe And Penny Goss wrote:

>>Hi Richard,
>>The use of the needle is not an option fore me due to health reasons. So I
>>have had to resort to other methods that require much less strength to
>>accomplish the same result.
>>    
>>
I dont believe that the same result is acomplished.  I did for a long 
time... after nearly 30 years of  trying out just about everything... 
I've come to the conclusion that the use of traditional voicing 
techniques and the use of lacquer are two fundementaly different ways of 
approaching the whole voicing issue, and quite predictably result in 
distinctively different tonal characteristics.  Each has their own charm 
to be sure.  But the <<same thing>> they are, IMHO,  not.

>>One question, when using the needle or needles where is the felt being
>>changed for the better/or along the route the needle traveles where is the
>>felt being damaged?
>>Joe Goss
>>    
>>
The <<felt>> isolated in itself is not really all that interesting... in 
either approach for either type of hammer.  You could just as easily ask 
that question substituting "lacquer" for "needle".  The hammer on the 
other hand will have its tension manipulated in various ways depending 
on what kind of needling is going on.... but you know this.  And you 
also know you can accomplish a similiar type of thing by starting off 
with soft hammers and lacquering them hard.  Similiar... but distinctive.

Cheers
RicB