Steam treating hard hammers

[Barbara Richmond]

Wayne, Dale, List:

I can relate to this, too.  In my protected life I've just had one piano that wouldn't "obey" me.  :-)  It was a big Seiler grand that wouldn't hold the voicing, (and it had a front duplex problem, too).  Believe me, I was <very aggressive> in voicing (no Mrs. Nice Guy here), pulling out the stops on every trick I knew.  Everything worked for a while--some months.  It's one thing to touch up voicing every three months on this piano, but having to do a lot each time got very old. I was frustrated and the customer was frustrated.  New hammers (and some other stuff) did the trick.  Now it's the usual tuning, check the voicing & regulation gig.

Barbara Richmond, RPT
near Peoria, IL
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Erwinspiano at aol.com 
  To: pianotech at ptg.org 
  Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2007 9:50 AM
  Subject: Re: Steam treating hard hammers


    HI Wayne
    I completely relate, I recall one particular Schaefer & Sons.  I went thru the snuggle treatment, Steam etc. but needles would not go in.  After the client couldn't stand the sound any longer we changed hammers.  What a nice sounding piano that is today. It has a nice Sitka board & it's VERY musical.  I suspect them same is true of many Low end pianos but that's determined on a case to case basis....of course.
    Phil, I understand your point that said client doesn't want to hear they need new hammers  but respectfully the truth is still......the truth.  I relate this scenario to the 1989 ford van I bought new. After a year the shocks were toast.  The aftermarket ones were waaaaay better.  Did that kill my enthusiasm for the car.  No.......  that happened later. grin.
    Dale
    The environment is not the issue. I check the service history of this piano and noticed it was harsh sounding in the store before we sold it. I tried several times before it was sold to get a more pleasing sound using both acetone and commercial hammer softener. Nothing seems to last. Using needles doesn't seem to work on this piano.

    Wayne






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