hammered Foote

[Bdshull@AOL.COM]

Ed:

I'll try again.  Its still early Monday morning in southern Ca (4:30 pm;  was 
at Tower Records too late last night in Pasadena, and the sun never came out 
today).  Just read a newspaper article in the LA Times today about what 
happens when e-mail messages are inadvertently sent....)   

I love the UNLACQUERED Baldwin hammers.  I usually have to dope up the top 
two or three octaves - I prefer acetone and water white sanding sealer, 4-1 
to 6-1.   I have used these hammers on most of my North American made 
rebuilds.  If they are being discontinued permanently I will be disappointed. 
 I have always ordered them unbored, untapered and done this work myself too. 
 I rebuilt a 9'  Chickering from the 20's with SD10 hammers which is 
glorious.   I have one "L" set waiting for a piano;  no 26 bass sets;  I hope 
that they will still be available.   I have not been happy with the 
prelacquered hammers;  they always have too much lacquer for my taste.  I 
prefer to be able to needle lacquered hammers fairly quickly after the 
lacquer is applied - and I like to pound the hammers within a short time 
after the lacquer is applied also.

Of course, I will still take Roger's class on steaming Renner Baldwin 
hammers;    

In a message dated 99-05-03 09:14:13 EDT, you write:

<< Greetings all, 
      I am taking some suggestions here on a new hammer job.  The piano is a 
 Baldwin M.  
    This is a fairly small grand, and the hammers on there are somewhat 
 lighter than the Renner Blues I have usually used.  The Renner Lites are 
 available in the right weight and lengths, but this customer is interested 
in 
 a mellow piano sound, so I am looking for something that has a little less 
 compression in it. 
    I have, for some reason, worked on extremely few Baldwins in my career, 
 and rehammered only one, years ago, when the hammer choices were more 
 limited.  What is the hammer recomendation from those "Baldwin Experienced"? 
 
 Is it the Abel?  Factory replacements?  Ronson, etc?  Somebody get me up to 
 speed on what is working best for these pianos today!
 Thanks and regards, 
 Ed Foote
  >>