Steinway hammers

[stanwood]

>I recently put Abel hammers on a B with great results. But there is no
>sound like Steinway hammers voiced to their fullest. I have renewed awe
>for the brand, and am very thankful for all the information that you
>people put on this forum! It is a great resource.
>Mark Graham

I echo Mark's support for the NY Steinway Hammer.  When treated properly
they are the best hammer in the world and embody the qualities in my
favorite voicing quote:

"The art in hammer making has ever been to obtain a solid,
 firm foundation, graduating in softness and elasticity toward
 the top surface, which latter has to be silky and elastic in
 order to produce a mild, soft tone for pianissimo playing, but
 with sufficient resistace back of it to permit the hard blow of
 fortissimo playing."                 - Alfred Dolge 1911


An interesting note.  A hammer is the felt and the felt is the fiber.  Long
renowned in felt making circles is the wool fiber from South African Merino
Sheep.  The finest, most resilient felt is produced from blends that have a
high percentage of this fiber.

For decades South African wool fiber has been generally absent from piano
hammers produced with felt made by countries who joined in the embargos on
the previously racist regime.  With the uplifting change in politics and the
lifting of embargos, South African Merino Wool Fiber is once again used in
Steinway hammers.  This information is from the president of the Bacon Felt
Co. in Taunton Mass. who produce hammer felt for Stenway, not to far from my
home on Martha's Vineyard.

David C. Stanwood