New hammers on a Steinway M

[A440A at aol.com]

 Steinway Model M from the 70's. While tuning I realize the sound was so 
pronouncedly muffled that I mentioned to  her the need to voice it.
 hammers had been replaced a year or two ago  
I wonder what would be recommended in this case to make the hammers a bit 
harder to recover the more normal brilliance of the Steinway sound.
Alex Gluzmann, Buenos Aires. >>

Greetings, 
       A walloping big dose of thinned down lacquer.   Those may be totally 
untreated hammers, and may need to be nearly soaked with a 5 or 6:1 ratio of 
thinner to lacquer.  Otherwise, they will always be dead.  An eyedropper is too 
slow for this, get a squirt bottle for the first pass, and give it two days, 
at least, to dry out before playing.  Then on to the files and needle to rein 
it back in from the random ragged edges. 
       The Steinway hammer is made for lacquer, it is essential.  How much?  
Ah,  that is where the tech has to read the individual situation.  Experience 
is going to be the best teacher, there. 
Good luck, 




Ed Foote RPT 
http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html
www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html