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Upon closer examination, I realized that the cause of this metallic and dull sound is due to the non-flat surface of the tips of 3 hammers.
What can I do? Comb the lower part that does not reach the string?
Regards, Sergio.
Moderator
This term "pettinare" (combing) is a bit "ambiguous".
It is increasingly used and suggested, for fear of declaring that the hammer must be "shaved" and/or voiced.
By "combing" the hammer, the nap at the apex is raised. This apparently makes the sound sweeter, but it makes difficult, or even can nullify, the compression effect that the hammer must have at the moment of contact with the string. I want to remind you that by its constructive nature, the hammer is more compressed at the apex and more elastic laterally on the shoulders. This conformation allows it to be an elastic body that does not leave the string simultaneously, but is capable of bringing out all the partials of the same. The striking point is extremely important, as is the simultaneity with which it hits the two or three strings of the unison.
In your case, the surface of the hammer apex plays on one or two strings and therefore does not develop the full timbre of that note.
You cannot intervene alone (but what you are telling me makes me think that someone has already intervened by altering its surface!!)
One must see if the hammers have margin for shaving. How is it done? See if there is still a lot of felt on the highs and ensure that they have not been shaved without respecting the more pointed shape. Seeing or finding poorly shaved hammers disarms the Technician. The hammers, I will repeat infinitely, must be shaved while maintaining the original shape....as long as possible. It is not an easy intervention, precisely because one must take the utmost care to respect even the "planarity" of the apices. However, this does not change the fact that the three strings may not be perfectly level. This too must be verified. How? Take a small piece of flat, heavy metal .....perfectly straight. It must lie on three adjacent notes (nine strings). You will pinch the three strings of the center note and verify the characteristic "chirping" sound of the string touched by other metal. If one of them sounds free... then it is lower!!!!!
Good experiment.
