worsening after technician's intervention

Attention: Shaving now NO. "Appretto"... that is, sizing/impregnating NO. By changing the strings, they probably were not well centered with respect to the hammer "grooves". So perhaps, I say perhaps, the hammer strikes on its softest part and since, as I understand it, the hammer rail is very grooved. Shaving it involves a risk if the work is not done properly: that is, preserving the shape of the hammers (more rounded in the bass and more pointed in the treble). Rounding the hammer rail in the treble means KILLING IT. Apparently and momentarily the sound improves, but soon the "strike point" will become more and more like a segment, generating dissonant harmonics. Another inconvenience is that the strike point is modified. I don't remember if in your case it is an upright or a grand piano. In the former, a shaved hammer strikes lower (having more travel); in the case of a grand, instead, the strike point moves closer to the tuning pins. Another inconvenience: the entire "mechanical geometry" is modified. Another inconvenience: the sound, even when proceeding with tuning, becomes more "woody". In fact, the apex of the hammer has less pulp and gets closer to the wooden core. Lastly (in a grand), the keyboard weighting is modified. Hang in there and then proceed to replace the hammer heads, complete or not with the shanks. ATTENTION: Hammers of the same type, length, and drilling. DEMAND the return of the old ones.

Last suggestion: in case you decide to move the strike point, take care to mark on the soundboard (grand) the old strike point of the original hammers. Furthermore, note down before shaving the exact length of the bass and treble hammers and the distances of their respective drill holes relative to the apex of the hammers. Let me know

They ruined my piano for a similar reason. I had to change the entire hammer rail. They shaved the hammers poorly; the sound, especially in the high notes, was very muffled.

Thanks for the answers. I think I'm in trouble here. I can't seem to find a good technician or even a good tuner. After tuning, the piano always sounds out of tune to me, in addition to these problems. Surely the hammers must have grooves because I play every day, but it seems excessive to have to shave the hammer rail every year..... Does anyone know any names for a good technician in the Florence area? I really care about finding a proper technician.....

Call Paolo

Gilda, I overlooked one hypothesis: if the bass strings were replaced, they might not have been turned adequately and could result in being "muffled." If so, one can try to loosen them and turn them in the direction of the winding. Generally, they start "sounding" again

Question: Is the muffled sound that is currently occurring exactly what happens when you strike the replaced string? Or do the replaced strings not have anything to do with the muffled sound?

Thank you all. I'll answer Simone right away: the temptation to call Paolo is great, but unfortunately common sense brings me back to reality. He is too far away for me. I need to find a technician in my area whom I can trust with my piano, a technician who comes to me often and whom I can call without problems whenever I need. As for tuning, I am very picky, and my piano, besides needing the usual annual maintenance, also needs its action restored and (in my opinion) perhaps even the keyboard. I know it would be better if I bought a new one, but would you believe me if I told you that browsing through various shops, I haven't yet found a new upright with a sound like mine? Schimmel included!!! It sounds like a grand (I'm not exaggerating). I am extremely angry.... is it possible that one cannot find a good tuner in Florence? Answering Pianoaccordatore: the muffled note is exactly the one where the string was changed (going up, it's the second D after middle C). The technician told me that to make it sound like before, he needs to shave all the hammers and starch them. To me, it sounds like a joke because I had them shaved last year. Besides this, my piano is still out of tune... in Florence, we are really in bad shape. How can you trust a technician who even tunes poorly? Look, I don't want to go on any further, I am too discouraged

If the muffled sound is generated by the replaced string, in my opinion the cause could be the inaccurate alignment of the new string on the hammer's strike point.

Pianoaccordatore wrote:

If the muffled sound is generated by the replaced string, in my opinion the cause could be the inaccurate alignment of the new string on the hammer's striking point.

I am not a technician, but I also think you are right and Paolo had already warned me about this possibility.... why does the technician want to shave the entire hammer rail instead of aligning the hammer on the string? I see that you are a tuner, do you know anyone in Florence who is truly skilled?

Hello,

I don't know anyone in Florence.

Try doing a new search on a search engine (type: piano tuner florence).

You will see that you will find a good technician who can help you.