<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; = charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 10 (filtered)"> <style>  </style> </head> <body bgcolor=white lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple> <div class=Section1> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span = style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>String covers don’t influence = the tone.  Try some sample hammers and see what you find.  I think = you are fighting a losing battle with what’s there. Sample the mid tenor through = the lowest capo section.  Get a couple of hammers and move then = around.  Ronsen Wurzens may be a good starting point. </span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span = style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'> </span></font></p> <div> <p><font size=2 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span = style='font-size:10.0pt; color:navy'>David Love</span></font><font size=2 color=navy><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:navy'><br> davidlovepianos@comcast.net </span></font></p> </div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 = face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>-----Original = Message-----<br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>From:</span></b> = pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <b><span = style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b></span></font><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span = style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>Barbara Richmond</span></font><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'><br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Wednesday, = September 07, 2005 4:35 PM<br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> </span></font><font = size=2 face=Tahoma><span = style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>Pianotech</span></font><fon= t size=2 face=Tahoma><span = style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'><br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> Hearing = problems/hard hammers</span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 = face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 = face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Greetings = all,</span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 = face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 = face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Nope, I don't have hearing = problems (at least, I hope not), but I have a customer who has developed a = neurological problem that affects his hearing.   His piano, a Seiler 8' = grand, model 240.  This is a piano I started servicing 13 or 14 years ago, = then I moved away. Now I'm back and have been asked to service it again.  = </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 = face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 = face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>While I was gone the piano = had some work done on it and the tech used plastic and acetone on the = hammers.  Whoa!  Anyway, I was pretty shocked at the sound and did what I = could to get rid of the plastic sizzle the first time I saw it.  The owner = was pleased with what I did, but I still wasn't totally happy with the voicing.  I figured I'd try to do more with each visit (we're on a quarterly schedule).  </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 = face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 = face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>So, yesterday, I did some = minor filing and needling, working to remove what was left of the sizzle and = improve the bloom and sustain.  I thought it was coming along, but was reluctant to bring the attack down too much.  As it turns = out, I could have done more, because when I e-mailed the customer this morning, = asking him if the tone had improved, he said it was still too harsh.  = </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 = face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 = face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Ah.  = Hmmm.</span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 = face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 = face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>I see my choices as really = going after those extremely hard hammers with motorized needling and/or = softener, or replace them with something softer like the Ronsen Wurzens.  The customer was very interested when I mentioned going to a = softer hammer.  I guess I'm looking for the hammer that would be the = easiest to control and hold the voicing longer.  I keep thinking these hard = hammers will always need a lot of voicing.</span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 = face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 = face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Actually, I've never really = liked the sound of this instrument.  The sound is thin and = nasal.  I'm afraid my attempts to open up the hammers with traditional needling = haven't been very successful.   Maybe all I need to do is bring = out the big guns to make a difference.  Or, (unless I destroy = the hammers) will it always sound like a piano with hard hammers?  = </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 = face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 = face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>This case is somewhat more complicated than others because of the hearing = disorder.</span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 = face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 = face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>The more I write this, the = more I think I should just replace the hammers and quit fooling around with = those bits of granite. </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 = face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 = face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Comments?</span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 = face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 = face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Oh, yeah, there's another question.  I've never heard a piano with an Edwards String Cover on it.  How does it affect tone and or volume?</span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 = face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 = face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 = face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Thanks = much,</span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 = face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 = face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Barbara = Richmond</span></font></p> </div> </div> </body> </html>