[CAUT] Tension hammers

[David Ilvedson]

The Yamaha hammers, I was working with...C7 hammers on a CFIII piano, needed about 15, 3 needles stitches.    So Andre's would be considered harder?   More tension?   Yamaha seems to make a really good hammer.    The personal problem I had was I couldn't clearly hear when I had done enough shoulder needling...of course the immediate blooming was apparent...ala above the strings...but how much more fullness of tone could be attained...?   This blooming sound is absolutely crucial to the carrying power of the piano...have to make sure it is present.   In other words, you can't just put the hammers on...;-]

" I liked the idea of optimizing the attack curve with the 
sustain/bloom curve"   Expand on that...

I'd like to see a representation of that curve if you have it...?

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA  94044


----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: "Ric Brekne" <ricbrek at broadpark.no>
To: caut at ptg.org
Received: 9/19/2006 12:44:58 PM
Subject: [CAUT]  Tension hammers


>I cant speak directly to Ronsen Wurzens... except by way of what I hear 
>techs who use them say. These are hammers that by and large need little 
>needling and rather need a bit of juice to pump up da volume as the 
>saying goes.  In Europe, Wurzens made by Renner can be had to just about 
>whatever tension specs you are able to get Renner to press them for 
>you.  Andre has gone through a long process with them and has arrived at 
>a basic press tension spec he likes.  I get a lot of my hammers through 
>him because he seems to have it nailed. These hammers benifit greatly 
>from about 20-30 three needle deep stabs up and down the shoulders and 
>this is exceedingly easy to accomplish.  The extremes however need 
>almost no needling and rather need tiny bit of hardner.

>As for the imagery described below by your Yamaha teacher...  its a nice 
>picture.  I liked the idea of optimizing the attack curve with the 
>sustain/bloom curve.  A nice graph they showed at the Academy in Hamamatsu.

>Cheers
>RicB

>List,

>We know on most hammers we need to open up the lower shoulders to open 
>up the tone.   At Yamaha one of the teachers called it bringing the tone 
>above the strings.   That really opened my ears as I heard happen.   
>Question.   Is Ronsen Wurzen, Steinway hammers...so-called low heat 
>pressed hammers not need this opening up of the shoulders as much?   
>Maybe some explanations and examples of tension hammers...

>David Ilvedson, RPT
>Pacifica, CA 94044