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<DIV> <STRONG><EM> Hi Rupert</EM></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><EM> I have done my share of this in the past but <FONT
size=4>never</FONT> on a real quality set of hammer. It is in my Opinion,
that this is a technique reserved for poorly made/ or petrified felt type
hammers. I consider it the last final act of voicing
desperation. Also on some pianos it makes a change for the better in a
short amount of time & my ears don't hurt so much. i.e. spinets, over heated
& shrunken hammers or over juiced. The muted sound you mention comes
from using pliers too far up on the hammer which cups the crown rendering the
strike surface un level.</EM></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><EM> It also may be just the pre voicing on some
hammers need so that one can actually finish up & refine the job with some
needling. All hammer voicing manipulations are redistributing the
densities of the hammer thereby by moving the felt fibers thus making them more
...or less....linear in there ability to produce tonal
spectrum.</EM></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><EM> Dale</EM></STRONG></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>My
original query cited Howe's book, which turns out<BR>to be the Revised 3rd
edition of 1963 (not 1948 when<BR>it was first published - sorry about
that).<BR><BR>On p.61 he says:<BR> "Another method of softening
the hammers has proved<BR> satisfactory: Take a pair of gas-pliers
and squeeze<BR> the felt in both directions alternately: in other
<BR> words, knead it with the pliers".<BR><BR>So far this idea of
alternate directions has not been<BR>mentioned by contributors.<BR><BR>( The
idea that the tone can also be strengthened is<BR>intriguing me (see
below). Seeing most contributors<BR>have said avoid squeezing the tip,
it would seem that<BR>they would have strengthened the tone rather
than<BR>mellow it by squeezing elsewhere. Most contributors <BR>have
said squeezing is like a lot of needling - which<BR>always softens does it
not? )<BR><BR>I am now very interested in what exactly happens
to<BR>the<BR>fibers of felt when it is needled / squeezed.<BR><BR>I did do a
gentle lateral pliers squeezing on my old<BR>Bluthner upright, and have done
no permanent damage:<BR>in fact, after a few weeks playing it sounds
much<BR>better to me, although it was a bit muffled<BR>immediately
afterwards. Further experiments will be<BR>confined to my wife's
spinnette!<BR><BR><BR>Rupert</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></FONT><BR><BR><BR><DIV><FONT style="color: black; font: normal 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF;"><HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px">See what's free at <A title="http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000503" href="http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000503" target="_blank">AOL.com</A>. </FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>