PN116 hammers

[Openwood]

I've got a Yamaha upright in my music room at school. It's one of those British-made ones - I think it's a PN116 or something like that, it's about 7 years old. It's sounding a bit brittle these days and I noticed that the hammer felts have got very pronounced grooves in them. As you can imagine it doesn't always receive tender loving care from those who practice on it.

Should I ask my tuner to file the hammers down a bit to make the tone less stark? If not, can you recommend a way forward?

Cheers in ludicrous abundance to one and all (offer ends Monday).

[Barrie Heaton]

Should I ask my tuner to file the hammers down a bit to make the tone less stark? If not, can you recommend a way forward?

.

Taking the cuts out will make it brighter, only voicing will cut back the brightness. However, if the cuts are very deep it would be advisable to take them out first. This will have to be done sometime in the future and you will have to voice it again.

Barrie,

[PianoGuy]

Aye that.

Reface first, then voice.

Grooves in hammers can actually have a mellowing effect on the tone, since the worn part of the hammer which hits the string has a greater surface area along the length of a string to a nicely profiled fresh hammer. Also in severely grooved hammers, the bits that brush between the strings restrict the lateral movement of the string. Both these properties reduce the propagation of upper harmonics, thus resulting in a duller tone with more fundamental component. Think how bright the piano would sound with new pointy hammers!

I think it's a P116N btw.

[Openwood]

Thanks for the advice. PG - you're right, it is a P116N.