Hammer re-facing and blow distance

[Michael Magness]

On Jan 20, 2008 2:10 PM, <annie at allthingspiano.com> wrote:

> Talking with customers about hammer condition really CAN be fun!  Most of
> them are so excited to see what's going on inside that big wooden thing.
>
> After the fist/fingers demonstration, I also explain that a piano note
> contains lots of tones, just like sunlight contains many colors.  Then I
> play the overtone series, as an arpeggio, starting at C2 and explain that
> all those tones are "inside" C2, but that different parts are more
> noticeable at different times.
>
> I play A#4, C5, D5, E5 a "chord" and explain that you're hearing more of
> that when the hammers are hard and grooved, as opposed to the C2-C3 octave
> when the hammers are softer and well-shaped.  (Forgive me if my octave
> numbers are off -- I'm playing the tabletop and counting....)
>
> And now they understand their piano's bright/hard sound as something that
> can actually be controlled, rather than just how it is.  I don't always
> get a voicing job out of the demonstration, but I do tend to get a call
> within a couple weeks to do it.
>
> For regulation, I first ask if their piano is their partner.  (They
> usually laugh.)  And then I ask whether they can play their piano softly
> without having to really concentrate and be careful about how they do it.
> (And they wonder how I knew....)  Even before I open the piano, I often
> play a bit and then tell them what we're likely to see when I do open it.
> A little magic never hurts, right? <g>
>
> Annie G.
>
> >
> > One thing I find helps persuade people about re-facing is that they can
> > SEE
> > what I'm talking about. I use my flashlight or whatever, to get a good
> > light, and show them the hammer surfaces and explain that over time the
> > strings cut into the felt like cheesewires, and they can see the effect
> > for
> > themselves.
> >
> > Then I explain using my a fist as "hammer" and three fingers as
> "strings"
> > how instead of a clean blow, the sides of the groves can "stroke" the
> > strings, and the bottoms of the grooves can be at different depths (if
> the
> > customer is technically-minded, I explain about phase cancellation). But
> > the
> > main thing is, they can SEE the problem.
> >
> > Best,
> >
> > David.
> >
> >
> > "I'm curious why you separate out regulating lost motion from the rest
> of
> > regulating tasks. Just because you have filed the hammers, doesn't
> dictate
> > regulating lost motion. However, I do agree that lost motion regulation
> on
> > a
> > long-neglected piano is often one of the most beneficial single
> regulating
> > steps".
> >
> >
> >
>
>
I came in a little late but have to agree with most of what Annie and some
of what Terry said. I, like Annie, sell what the customer's budget can bear.
I also learned a long time ago that replacing old worn underkey felt isn't
the only way to go. If the felt isn't chewed, by mice or bugs, leave it and
build up under it with paper punchings, your regulation/leveling/dipping job
will last longer if you don't have new felt compressing under the keys! If
you MUST replace balance rail punchings use medium thin or thin punchings
whenever you can to reduce the amount of compression in the punching. You
may have to shim the rail up to compensate but I feel it's worth it. It
saves having to come back to the same customer a few years later and sell
them a re-level and re-dip of those same keys. Better to use that
salemanship/customer funds for something else that comes up. At least that's
the way I learned to do it.
Mike
-- 
I AM, therefore I THINK!
Michael Magness
Magness Piano Service
608-786-4404
www.IFixPianos.com
email mike at ifixpianos.com
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/20080120/554f505a/attachment.html