Hard Hammers

[Richard Brekne]

How to approach loosening up the tension in hammers so as to concentrate 
more at the crown, creating that particular kind of resiliency is a 
matter subject to no end of discussion and debate.  Getting back to the 
original postulate that Gregor started with... namely the fellow who 
claimed needling into the shoulders was all <<wrong>> because it tears 
the felt strands apart can easily be countered by asserting that tearing 
(some of) the strands is exactly the point and exactly what is needed to 
create exactly that particular result.  Needling in from the side will 
accomplish something else.

Both, and no doubt many other methods can be used to create a very nice 
sound mind you.  Some methods have longer lasting results then others... 
and all differ somewhat in the resulting sound character.  A Japanese 
study some 20 years ago went into this fairly comprehensively... tho 
sound assessment was subjective in nature... still it had some validity 
to it.

The problem with many such forwardments.... always the same, is that one 
basically claims that one way of doing something is <<better>> in the 
quantitative sense then others... if not all others without any 
qualification as to what quantitative criteria are being laid to 
ground.  Indeed in the case of something as subjective as piano tone 
this is impossible to begin with.

As to the price of the tool... Welll welll welll... how much does a high 
quality standard needle voicing tool cost these days in comparison eh ?  
Still... keep your pliers. I am comfortable with the needle tool I have.

Cheers
RicB