hammers

[Peter Kestens]

Wim,

That's also my point of view concerning voicing hammers.  I really think
you can't improve much the tone quality of a piano.  This doesn't mean at
all you can't change it (make it softer or more brilliant) but really
improve, I don't think it's possible. 

Peter Kestens
KESTENS.P@Debcom.BE

----------
> Van: Wimblees@aol.com
> Aan: pianotech@ptg.org
> Onderwerp: Re: hammers
> Datum: mercredi 11 juin 1997 14:32
> 
> In a message dated 97-06-11 00:38:28 EDT, you write:
> 
> >If there's any interest with you folks, how about a discourse on your
> >favorite hammers and voicing proceedure(s) and why?
> >
> >Are you apt to voice down to mellow...or do you like them to "bite"..if
> >so, under what circumstances?
> 
> 
> I like to replace hammers with the manufactuer's hammers, when at all
> possible. When the company is no longer in business, I usually go with
> Renners. On less expensive pianos, I have used Standard hammers from
Schaff. 
> 
> For the most part, shaping the hammers, and maybe a little lacquer here
and
> there, gets me where I want to be for voicing. And voicing is more of an
> evening out of tone, than changing the color. 
> 
> I personally am of the belief that too many techs are spending too much
time
> "manipulating" hammers over and above what is necessary. By this I mean
they
> are trying to make the piano sound too much different than what the
hammer is
> trying to produce.  
> 
> As I explain to my customers, tone is like collor. One is not better than
> another. Just as one person likes blue, but not green, one person is
going to
> like a bright sound, and another a soft sound. Of course, if a customer
tells
> you ahead of time that they like a soft sound, you should avoid an
Oriental
> hammer. By the same token, if the customer wants a bright sound, stay
away
> from a Ronson or Standard hammer. Yes, hammers can all be "manipulated"
to
> produce those tones, but why work so hard, and possibly ruin the hammer.
> 
> Just my point of view.
> 
> Wim  Blees RPT
> St. Louis