You cannot move the bars under tension, so you'd have to let tension down....and then you could tap them forward or backward...but
you cannot tune them to the pitch they need to be tuned to, since tension is down.
(Basically we don't tune the Steinway style bars
as they are pretty much where the factory put them. If your local tuner moved them, then I think there might be a placement
figure out there somewhere. I used to have it somewhere.) One of the other techs may have that figure. It was posted
here at one time according to my recollection.
Basically all you could do is get them near
in tune for the end notes, as they are cast and all the middle notes will or won't be in tune. Bridge placement comes into
play, so there'd be some that are on spec and some that are not. It is the front duplex (not tuneable on the non-speaking side)
which adds the most. You can mute the front duplex off playing a note and hear the difference. That tuning is set-up in
the plate mold. (In older Steinways they are staggered and you might have been able to tune them, but as a group.)
The back duplexes add complexity and color to the tone. Mostly this is heard with the sustain pedal down.
I don't think either of these were meant to be tuned after the piano is strung and up to pitch. There is too much pressure.
So this is a long winded way of saying they should have been placed properly when the piano was strung. There
is a measurement, though it is often approximated.
There are pianos that have tunable duplex bars, but I don't think Steinway intended for that.
American Steinway hammers if original are soft with shellac or lacquer added as a stiffener. I thought you said the local guy
had installed new hammers. If he installed Euro hammers they will be hard pressed and not require stiffener...or if he installed
Imadegawa (Japanese) hammers they'd be VERY hard....all Euro and Asian hammers are hard and must be voiced like
the Orebeek method or other similar method's, like the Renner method. All the Euro piano mfgs uses these methods if
they use Euro hammers...Hamburg Steinway hammers are made by Renner. NY Steinway hammers are pressed in the
NY factory. (These days they press them harder with pre-reinforcing and use German felt
so they only need a bit of lacquer and very little needling)
You should take or should have taken the action out and inspected the hammers, looking for a stamp on one of the first or second bass
hammers to determine the maker. Sometimes this is filed off when they taper the hammers.
You would see Steinway, Renner, Abel stamped down there. I'm not sure about
Imadegawa. You might make a guess by the felt color and the hammer moulding material.
There is another French company, I don't remember the name. Abel uses French felt, Renner uses German
felt and makes Hamburg Steinway hammers. These German hammers sound pretty good right out of the box, but will
sound better with voicing ala Orebeek to open the sound. He doesn't wait for playing in.
You can use the Renner guide as a good
general way to voice them. Abel hammers require less needling than Renner hammers. You must fit the hammers to
the strings. It may require sanding down an area too high on the hammer, or it might require lifting strings. Was it
restrung? It may require leveling strings.
It's way more involved than you'd think and a good professional from the area should know what to do. I would recommend
your friend contact someone else who is a proven pro with voicing to get the best from the piano.
The 4 top treble hammers might improve if moved for or back...you can find this out by moving the whole keyframe
for or aft slightly as you play C88 ...maybe it is just a matter of repositioning. Mark the position w/pencil. Put the cheek
blocks in to see if it stays there or moves. There is a dag on the cheekblock that
holdes the frame in place. It is adjustable...loosen the screws to change it's position.
The top 4 may also require filing, or perhaps a drop or two of lacquer solution to brighten.
This happens even with Euro hammers. Generally I've found Asian hammers to
be very hard up there and don't need any help with lacquer.
The American aesthetic for the age of his piano was a warm/sweet/singing sound and not the bright ping you
often hear from modern pianos who are too short to imitate very well a concert grand.
I don't think the Steinway M sounds very good pushed to modern brilliance, though it can be near that
if desired.
The Abel hammers are pretty good, so hopefully someone put those on there. There is a Renner Blue Point that is also
made for American pianos. The hammers require very little needling but they will sound better from
the get go if good voicing is done right away. Fitting hammers can be a fusy job.
This is why a hammer job is costly. It is not just a matter of gluing them on the shanks!
Would someone at Hamburg Steinway be able to recommend a technician near your friend or
at least check with the nearest big city's Steinway showroom.
One way or another he's going to have to pay for the results he wants.
Best of luck....
R
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Richard Adkins
Piano Technician
Coe College
Cedar Rapids, IA
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-21-2020 19:14
From: David Pinnegar
Subject: Steinway hammers, voicing, dampers and duplex
Dear Peter
Thanks - that's brilliant news and comforting.
Whilst not relating to this instrument can anyone give details on how Duplex bars can be moved so as to tune the Duplex lengths? Instruments that I've tuned are so much a pleasure when the top notes really are musical by reason of the duplexes being tuned and resonating beautifully.
Best wishes
David P
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David Pinnegar, B.Sc., A.R.C.S.
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+44 1342 850594
Original Message------
David,
On the damper head issue alone, I have a 1917 SS M here in the shop that has damper heads exactly like what you show. Don't know if that helps you or not. Just a point of comparison.
Pwg
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Peter Grey
Stratham NH
603-686-2395
pianodoctor57@gmail.com
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