At 04:46 PM 9/29/2006, you wrote: >Ed, >"Bloom" is what I'm looking for. I'd like more sustain than a >precisely tuned brick. If the hammers are all that hard, I suspect that "precise" tuning is not really possible, either. >If crown needling between the grooves doesn't get me any "bloom" are >we talking replacement hammers, acetone wash or what? Crown needling will only exacerbate the problem. Whether or not acetone is the right way to go will depend on what might have been used to harden the hammers to begin with. Are there any tell-tale signs of one kind of hardener v. another? What have you tried already? What kind of shape are the hammers in ?...worn?...fairly new?...are they reasonably well-shaped to begin with?...or, would you simply be trying to make the proverbial silk purse? More information, please. Whether or not you need new hammers may well depend upon budget as anything else. Best. Horace >Andrew >At 01:48 PM 9/29/2006, you wrote: >> >><< I've got voicing to do on a D this coming week. There are a number >>of notes that are duds. No bloom. Short sustain. Like they don't >>go anywhere. No termination problems evident. I'd use deep shoulder >>needling to open this up usually. >> >>Is there a different approach for lacquer hardened hammers? >> >> >>Yes, if you are going to needle a Steinway factory installed hammer, you >>will need to go straight down through the crown, about 1/4 inch, at least, >>between the string grooves. If this doesn't do what you want it >>to, then try two >>needles, into the hammer right in the string groove, but make sure that there >>isn't just one string that is causing the zing. >> It is always a mystery just how much lacquer there is in these hammers. >> As far as "bloom" goes, there may or may not be any there. >> >> >> >>Ed Foote RPT >>http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html >>www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html >
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