<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.5730.11" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY id=role_body style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Arial" bottomMargin=7 leftMargin=7 topMargin=7 rightMargin=7><FONT id=role_document face=Arial color=#000000 size=2> <DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>  Hi Mark</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>  Remember that giant sucking sound Ross Perot made famous?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>  I think the hall can do this...just suck the sound away from the player. IE. Rochester gallery.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>    I rebuilt a Stwy D for the Modesto symphony years ago & the sound at the piano is very satisfying.  Big powerful clear.  As per RIc's description.  & it projects sound even more glorious in the funky hall.  Go figure. BTW It has 12 year old Isaac hammers with old American co.Stwy felt juiced up but the needles still go in easily. SO cool</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>  I have also experienced your dilemma.  I think you should go with your own advice about judicious shaping;.  The Abel hammer  as far as I know uses Abel felt which is quite dense.The spot on the hammer which, I believe will give more feed back at the bench  without changing the hall experience is the little half moon spot under the strike point.  Use finer and finer paper filing over the top ending with as fine as 1000 grit.  & or lightly iron the felt.  Too much & a nasty sound appears.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>  Let us know how it comes out.  Curiosity demands an answer</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>  Dale</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000 size=2> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><STRONG>David, et al -</STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG></STRONG> </DIV> <DIV><STRONG>Makes perfect sense to me!</STRONG></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><STRONG>This is an interesting, timely subject.  Three months ago I delivered a 1920's Mason & Hamlin BB to a rather large church on which I had installed, among other extensive work (including restringing), Abel Concert grand hammers.  I have to say that this piano projects better than any piano I have encountered in 30 years, with a very robust, lush, round tone.  It's just magnificent, <EM>when you are in the audience</EM> !  However, I had the occasion to perform on this piano this past weekend for a music showcase, and I must admit that from the player's standpoint, the piano lacks the presence that it projects to the audience.  Although I have not received any complaints from the 3-4 regular players there (and 2 of them are quite accomplished) it was very noticeable to me, and one of the other performers that evening mentioned it too.  </STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG></STRONG> </DIV> <DIV><STRONG>This is not a hammer I consider overly soft, by any means, but that is the perception AS THE PLAYER.  I welcome any input as to how to remedy this quandry, as I am hesitant to make any significant voicing changes to a hammer that sounds so wondrous to the listener that is more than 15 feet away.</STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG></STRONG> </DIV> <DIV><STRONG>Any ideas?  My first impulse is to do some more judicious shaping & fine sanding, as these hammers are rather generous in the amount of felt they offer.  Still, it would be a crime to alter this singing tone to any significant degree...</STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG></STRONG> </DIV> <DIV><STRONG>Mark Potter</STRONG></DIV></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>