Voicing Wurzen Hammers

[Erwinspiano@aol.com]

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Joe
   This has been primarily my experience as well. I  do on occasion harden 
all the bass hammers up to the break but not lately. I  find that a good filing 
to create a beautiful Steinway or Yamaha type shape  thru out really focuses 
the tone & as David Love said taking off a some  felt in the treble also gives 
a lively more  focused sound.(paraprahsing) I have a chickering 5' 8" about to 
leave the  building & shaping is all that it needed. Now if someone wanted a 
brighter  sound it is an easy 10 minute application of very dilute lacquer & 
acetone  on the top of the hammer. 
 The top octave may get a soaking  3 or 5 to 1  although  I dislike saying A 
PARTICULAR solution dilutions  is  the one magic solution which is going to 
work on every piano because it  doesn't.  I try a given solution on a hammer 
based on what is being heard  & then decide where to go based on results. 
Juicing, as is needling, is a  result driven process. 
    On the tenor   3 to 6 drops  applied right on the strike point as a break 
in solution will give a client who  desires more initial tonal bite what he 
needs.  If it get to pingy to quick  it can be washed down & into the hammer. 
Also a simple soaking/ washing  with straight acetone has a tightening effect 
on the felt ,albeit  subtle.
   Polishing the tops of the strike  point  with fine sandpaper(600 to 1000) 
, level strings, & an  accurate strike point as well as good solid  tuning 
pounding the strings  into the tops goes along way to getting a very refined & 
rich musical tone  with little work that leaves one with confidence that the 
inate  resilience of the felt is doing it's job.
   Dale Erwin

 
Ric,
I rather suspect that the hammers you are working  with have been 
pressed/heated more than that that Ray does. I've found, (2  sets---one my own--one 
another techs), that Ray's Hammers need a little  hardening on Notes #1, 2, 3 & 
maybe 4. Then, a similar hardening one all  notes from F7 up, (sometimes F# up). 
The rest, I've found to "Play In" very  quickly to a very sweet sound that 
needs a little smoothing only. FWIW, that  is what I've experienced.
Regards,
Joe Garrett, R.P.T.
Captain, Tool  Police
Squares R I



 

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