<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1400" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Stephane,, Thanks for the letter = writing back to me, I though about this quite a bit today. So the french technician is = trained by Kawai? Good for you.  If he is to see the piano again in the = near future, he should be able to take care of it for you, to your liking. = Ironing can make a difference however slight, it may be enough. We don't use = ironing here in Arizona because it's so dry that we don't really see much of a difference. If he's a MPA, he'll know about mating strings to the hammer = and all the techniques which should restore the power that you desire. I was = worried that someone who wasn't highly trained got to your piano and did = something which could probably be undone by a qualified technician, and when I saw the = comment on changing hammers, I felt I had to jump in and bring a stop to such = rubbish. I don't think you can even get Shigeru hammers for a small section, = without replacing the whole set. You certainly wouldn't want any other kind on = that piano.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>"I'll also take care of the keyboard = frame level in that range."</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I was referring to the levelness of the = top of the hammer, when at the position at which they stike the keys, by the way.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>This is an important prelude to = leveling the strings so that each contacts the hammer in the same way, so that all = three strings are "in phase".  Helps with the power, you must know...</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I hope that I've helped, at least I've = stopped something bad from happening. Please feel free to write back after this = is resolved, perhaps I can learn something here also.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Yours, </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Kevin E. Ramsey R.P.T.</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=stephane.hanriat@free.fr href="mailto:stephane.hanriat@free.fr">Stéphane Hanriat</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, February 20, 2004 = 1:47 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Voicing up Shigeru = Kawai SK3</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi Kevin,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Thanks a lot for your = comments.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Actually, the piano was very harsh = when coming from Japan. A french Master Piano Artisan has prepared the piano = </FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>and I've tried it before ordering. I've well = noticed the need to give more power to these notes to get more balanced sound, </FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>and I've considered this a minor = problem. The MPA told me to play the piano for 6 months and he will improve this </FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>during the visit at my house (MPAs = are licensed by Kawai to service Shigeru's).</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I'm confident the technician will = recover some brightness to these notes. I'll follow you regarding juicing. I agree = that "banging" the hammers might do the trick. I'll also take care of the = keyboard frame level in that range.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The piano tech of my local dealer = (familiar with S&S) tells me dry ironing on the shoulders, not directly on the = crown, would anyway recover a cleaner attack at soft playing. it's likely = something that could be tested, in a conservative way of course. What do you = think ?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Your remark regarding losing high = frequencies is relevant, but I'm still OK for the moment (still young 40 years old = man, isn't it ?). By the way, I've checked with other pianists playing my piano = who are having the same perception than me.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Stephane Hanriat</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV>----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=kevin.e.ramsey@cox.net = href="mailto:kevin.e.ramsey@cox.net">Kevin E. Ramsey</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, February 20, = 2004 4:47 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Voicing up = Shigeru Kawai SK3</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I'm a little shocked at the = response from my fellow technicians here, perhaps they're not familiar with the Shigeru.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>First of all, don't even think of = changing the hammers on your piano. Those hammers are very special, and they are = one of the secrets of why the Shigeru is what it is.  If you had a = technician file the hammers, his technique may leave a lot to be desired. With Shigeru's I always finish off with at least 800 grit, with the = hammers set at the strike point, so that I'm getting an absolutely level strike = surface. If you don't get the strike surface level, you lose power. Unless a technician who is not familiar with the special techniques used on = one of these happened to over-needle the hammers, they come from the = factory well in the range of where they should be in your home. Only you can = answer as to who may have worked on your piano.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    I don't want to = offend you, but this question sometimes comes from people who are losing a = little of their high frequency hearing, which is more common today than most = people realise. I just mention it so that you can consider whether that may = indeed be a possibility.  If the hammers have been over needled in = that area of the scale, usually they will brighten up when filed properly, and = or "reset" with the back end of a voicing tool, or a small 2 oz. = mallet, in a voicing tray. Do not, nor let your technician, treat these hammers = with chemicals. These are not Steinway hammers, so they don't need the = juice, you'll lose your dynamic range if you do. Have you had a Japanese = technician come out to your house, yet? Explain your concerns to him, and I'm = sure he can do what you want. I read what someone else wrote on the list = before I hastily jumped in here, about them not coming out to the college.. = I'm not sure that they do that for institutions, only individuals perhaps. = I'm sure that Don Mannino is going to jump in here, he's the final authority, = not me. I only posted this to keep you from doing anything too drastic in = the meantime.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Kevin E. Ramsey, = R.P.T.</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- = </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=stephane.hanriat@free.fr href="mailto:stephane.hanriat@free.fr">Stéphane Hanriat</A> = </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, February = 19, 2004 2:31 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Voicing up Shigeru = Kawai SK3</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hello,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I own a brand new Shigeru Kawai = SK3 that the Kawai technician in France has</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>made, according to me,  too = deep voicing on notes in the treeble range (octave 5 to 6).</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Although he disagrees with that, = the tone is slightly too mellow in this range,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>from pianissimo up to mezzo = forte. At pianissimo or piano, the higher partials are</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>reduced compared to neighboring = octaves (impacted notes are from 55 to 69),</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>and the attack looks a bit = dull.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Those higher partials are coming = back with more strength on the key. However,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>these notes always require = slightly more strength to produce a balanced sound.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>From Mezzo forte up to Forte, = things are OK (overall loudness and tone quality</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>is well balanced)</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The technician made several = filing with very limited improvement. I'm not a</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>specialist, just a pianist - but = my engineering background and what I learned</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>reading your very interesting = posts, tell me that there has been likely too much</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>deep needling in the higher = section of the shoulders.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The Shigeru hammers are = cold-pressed and are considered as medim/soft in</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>europe. May be they are not  = very robust to extensive voicing.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I'm wondering what could be the = best solution to recover some power to these</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>15 hammers : dry ironing, juicing = or changing those 15 hammer heads ?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Kawai says the tone will not be = even if I change only a sub set of hammers</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>(they don't want to replace = either full set of subset anyway...</FONT><FONT face=Arial = size=2>).</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Have you experienced changing = subset of hammers in this range ?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Which hammer head brand would you = recommend for those Kawai pianos (softer</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>than Yamaha...) ?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Do you think dry ironing would = make it ? (actually the recovery level I'm expecting</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>is not that big and the felt = thickness is small in this range, so this could work).</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Many thanks for your = feedbacks,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Sincerely yours,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Stephane Hanriat</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><A = href="mailto:stephane.hanriat@free.fr">stephane.hanriat@free.fr</A></FO= NT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>PS : This being said, the SK3 is = an outstanding instrument. Action is close to</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>perfection, overall tone is = wonderful, rich, not too harsh like Yamaha and the</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>softer hammers give you great = control and margin in the way you produce louder</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>sound.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY= ></HTML>