Thanks Michael hammer softener very much has provided great results so far. I hear Steinway use a different hardener and may require a different softener product. We are still learning and will update as we learn more. Evan
Thank you for your comment Jonas. I’ve been applying quite generously dampening the whole face. It depends on how bright the piano is you can do two applications when very bright. However in this case we apply once, replace the action the next day or serveral hours later and test first. The huge upside is voicing down cheaper pianos that you might otherwise neglect as well as an initial voicing on extremely hard hammers. I’m not sure what it contains but it tells like perhaps a fabric softener? I’m experimenting and learning more about it. So far so good, very useful tool to have in your kit
Thanks for the fast reply! Have you tried pure alcohol? Im planing to try experiment a bit with alchol/fabric softners in the future. Only using needles today and yes its very time consuming! Done the Stanwood Deep Needling " Sugar oating" on some cheap pianoes but still alot of work!@@RobertsPianosHouston
Yes, I agree with you. Needling is the best most controlled option however, there are some so bad and cheap that you’re never gonna be able to have time to needle softener can really open up the sound of the piano with much less time involved, and it can be the good base for needling for fine results, or sometimes produces good results on its own As for the piano in this video I only used softener and the results really came out well. I was content as the piano was horrid at the start. Thank you for the tips on softener and alcohol I’ll try them on another piano that comes in. Evan
In most cases it is best to this first especially if there are serious grooves. This way the part that seeps into the hammer will not be removed and you can assess the tone before applying.
Wow, actually made that thing listenable.
Thanks Michael hammer softener very much has provided great results so far. I hear Steinway use a different hardener and may require a different softener product. We are still learning and will update as we learn more. Evan
Sounds great! How much and how are you applying? Experienced any problems/downside of using?
Thank you for your comment Jonas. I’ve been applying quite generously dampening the whole face. It depends on how bright the piano is you can do two applications when very bright. However in this case we apply once, replace the action the next day or serveral hours later and test first.
The huge upside is voicing down cheaper pianos that you might otherwise neglect as well as an initial voicing on extremely hard hammers. I’m not sure what it contains but it tells like perhaps a fabric softener? I’m experimenting and learning more about it. So far so good, very useful tool to have in your kit
Thanks for the fast reply!
Have you tried pure alcohol? Im planing to try experiment a bit with alchol/fabric softners in the future. Only using needles today and yes its very time consuming! Done the Stanwood Deep Needling " Sugar oating" on some cheap pianoes but still alot of work!@@RobertsPianosHouston
Yes, I agree with you. Needling is the best most controlled option however, there are some so bad and cheap that you’re never gonna be able to have time to needle softener can really open up the sound of the piano with much less time involved, and it can be the good base for needling for fine results, or sometimes produces good results on its own
As for the piano in this video I only used softener and the results really came out well. I was content as the piano was horrid at the start.
Thank you for the tips on softener and alcohol I’ll try them on another piano that comes in. Evan
Do you leave the deep string grooves alone or do you file the hammers before using the softener?
In most cases it is best to this first especially if there are serious grooves. This way the part that seeps into the hammer will not be removed and you can assess the tone before applying.