Dear Colleagues, I am reading all these highly interesting mails about hammers and I = am truly amazed by your tales regarding hammerfelt re-inforcers. I have a hardener too and was told at the time that this hardener was = a Steinway recepy, it consists of ether, alcohol and collodium and it = works perfectly. I am wondering about two things: 1. Why do I read on the list only about laquer and aceton/plastic and = not about ether/alcohol/collodium 2. I recently wrote to you a remark about hammers, but never received = any answer. Did it come true? if not, I will now send it again = because I had some questions and am curious for your opinions! we're = talking about the same thing... Here it comes again: I like piano hammers very much. I think that hammers are the "jewels' of the instrument. For about = the last 10 years I have had an urge to look sharper and sharper into = hammer matters. I have come to the conclusion that new hammers, when made by a well = known factory (like Renner, abel and Yamaha) hardly need no any = hardener at all, except in the highest octave. Furthermore, if a new hammer needs hardener in other sections, then = something is wrong with in the factory and an immediate discussion = should follow with the makers (if you like your business relation = with them). I am curious about the American Steinway hammers, I do = not know them. I only know the Renner and Abel products (aside from the Yamaha's and = the Steinway's). It may be very well possible that I am old fashioned, and I should = certainly take into consideration that America is another world with = different tastes (so I heard, is that true?) and I am very curious = what you all think about this. Do you (Americans) think of Europe as another world with another = taste for sound? What is in your opinion the general "sound = difference" between these two parts of the world? I also think that way too little attention is given to voicing at = piano tech schools (from what I know of European schools) .These = days, a technician (overhere) can actually only make real progress by = going to a factory. I went to a couple of them so I know, and it is = really too bad for the other technicians for they are hungry too but = have no possibillities because of their jobs, their boss or financial = matters. That is why a better education is very much necessary. And I have come to yet another conclusion : A beautiful tuning is very important, but, since our ears are quite = flexible as we all know, a "wonderful" touch and a masterly voicing = are even more important because a performing pianist feels = immediately happy and comfortable and this will add to his "balance". Besides, voicing is the most difficult of the three (regulation, = tuning, voicing) and I personally would love to spend more time with = voicing masters!! An imperfect tuning can be masked by a skilled = intoneur... I'd like your opinions about these wonderful matters! PS I like Yamaha hammers too, what about you? Friendly Greetings from: CONCERT PIANO SERVICE Andr=E9 Oorebeek Amsterdam, the Netherlands email address: oorebeek@euronet.nl =89 Where Music is no harm can be =89
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