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Yamaha apartment size ca.1970.
Moderately grooved hammers.
A4 and B4 have a metallic ticking sound.
Needling grooves does nothing.
Ticking present when each string is isolated.
Filing doesn't help.
Needling shoulders doesn't help.
Hammer head, catcher is not loose.
Ticking is on attack.
No other notes have it and it is obvious.
Steaming doesn't help.
Suggestions?

If its not a spinet action, I would move the hammer assembly up or down a few notes, to see if the sound moves with it, then move the wippen up or down, and see if it follows. You may then isolate or eliminate something. Damper spring?

Look for something between the bridge and the strings, springs, or loose dampers or spoons.

Worn damper tail felts maybe ?

My guess is broken spring loop. When the loop breaks the spring pops up and can hit against a metal action rail.

Even though the hammer head doesn't feel loose, I bet it is.

I had a Yamaha LU-101 with the same problem, did everything on the list, still had the tick. After 2 or 3 years I found the problem, loose capstain, a little CA glue to tighten the thread and the noise is gone.

Also check that the brass hammer flange pin plate screw is tight. Sorry, mental block on it's correct name.

I find it interesting that most assumed it was an upright. "Apartment sized" what?
If it's a grand, check the set screw on the flange where the damper wire enters the hole in the flange. Also, check to see if the damper is making contact with the string as it rises or falls. You specifically referenced it as a "metallic" ticking sound. I would first look at places where metal can possibly hit metal.

Bent bridle wire is clicking against neighbouring back check wire?

Loose action bracket, worn out rubber cap on hammer rail stabilizer where it contacts plate?

All the best!

People use the term “apartment size” to describe a small console upright piano. The word "spinet” described an early type of virginal.

Ahhh....interesting. Never came across that term before. Thanks!!

It could be any of the suggestions posted so far. I would first reglue the hammer head.

This one gets my top vote. Of all the things that go wrong with Yamaha uprights, butt spring cord breakage is the most common. They're all going to break so plan on fixing them all eventually.

Mine too what Dale and Ryan said. All great answers though!

All of the above, plus,
A loose flange screw or butt plate can sound remarkably like a loose hammerhead.
I used to find, in mid '70's vintage Yamahas that the center pin embedded itself into its groove in the butt a bit too far making tightening of the butt plate screw ineffective. It happened rarely but I used to shim the groove with a strip of paper of the appropriate thickness (glue not necessary). It is, of course possible to file the wood that forms the mating surface with the buttplate but I believe the shim to restore the original dimensions and be quicker. It has the added advantage of being reversible even though it would never be necessary.

Just another of many possibilities.

I once traced the very same sound to a loose keytop. The tick was actually coming from the key when striking it, but it sounded like it was within the action. Regluing the top solved the problem.

Re Yamaha butt flanges: I don't bother with the cord any more. Never could stand doing that anyway! Now I just install new flanges. Doesn't take any longer, plus the customer gets new bushings and center pins.

If the butt flanges have the plate, it is much faster to just replace the cords. The trick is to not even unhook the bridle tapes but loosen the plate screws and pull the butts out of the way. The flanges stay attached to the rail. almost no alignment and traveling issues this way and no repinning to do. I think the whole job took me around 4 hours the last time I did it.

I carry replacement cord with me, and always try to repair with that before installing a new flange. If you use a new flange you may well change the travel of the shank and alignment of the hammer head; if the hammer is worn and/or has string cuts it might affect the tone.