voicing Wurzen hammers

[Ric Brekne]

Nothing really magical here Mark.  Traditional voicing proceedures work 
best with Wurzen felt pressed at reasonable levels. You should have to 
open up the hammers a bit in the middle sections, tho you shouldnt have 
to deal with any draconian needling proceedures.  Usually somewhere 
between 20-40 deep needling stabs (with 3 needles in your tool) stagered 
up and down the shoulders is enough to get a fine basic first voice.  
Usually you end up with most of your needling in the midbass through the 
tenor and into the C5-C6 octave area.  Lowest bass may need a bit of 
juice, and the highest range (at least from F7 upwards)  usually always 
needs a bit of help.

Get ahold of Andre for some very good specifics advice on needling. But 
in general your first voicing is about opening up the hammers for power 
and the basic tone picture you are after. Not much is done up close to 
the crown.  Reshaping and mating is done, along with any string leveling 
needed before going on to the second voicing. I find it nice to wait 
over nite after the first voicing anyways.

Cheers
RicB


Greetings -
 
I have installed my first set of Wurzen hammers - from Ray - and am quite pleased with
the results.  I have read numerous posts indicating that in most cases little or no 
voicing is required except for doping the extreme high treble, but in this case
- an M & H "B" - I find that the tenor and low treble need opened up a fair amount.
Knowing that there is inherently something different about the way this felt is formed
I thought it prudent to check with those experienced in voicing these hammers if 
traditional voicing techniques apply.
 
Anything uniquely specific about voicing this felt?
 
Thanks!
 
Mark Potter