Reshaping VS new hammers - Condition etc

[Richard Brekne]

Bob, I think you are getting kind of a consensus here now. 2 grand seems a bit
stiff to me for a basic reshape and regulate job. Course this depends on just
what the tech considers a part of regulating. If that includes lots of
maintaince like repinning centers, evening out strike weights, polishing key
pins ...etc... well perhaps one could get up to 2 grand.... Someone mentioned
an itemized list of what the tech proposes. This sounds wise if you choose to
go that route.

Keith makes some very good points below which I interpret as a vote for a
minimalist approach. Replacing the hammers and at the same time maintaining
the touch characteristics of a so-so regulated piano with badly worn hammers
is a neat trick and quite a challange for even the best of  techs. We get into
trouble on this kind of thing all the time.... Improving an action by all the
rules of the art does not neccessarilly equate to what the customer has in
mind. An effective dialogue with a competent tech is a must to be sure.

Personally I like hammer replacement as the prefered option. But as Jim B
pointed out, the result is totally in the hands of the tech.

Keep us all informed of what you do and how it goes :)


kam544@flash.net wrote:

> >...I like the action the way it is and was afraid
> >that reshaping would negatively impact the action dynamics....Reshaping &
> >Regulating was quoted at about 2K, this seems like a lot however
> >I realize the process is (when done correctly) time consuming.
> >Bob Luderer
>
> Bob, List,
>
> If you like the action the way it is with the current hammers, the last
> thing you want someone to do is regulate it *and* pay money to boot.  The
> action will never be the same again, and what you currently like can't be
> recaptured once it's changed.  Consider carefully letting someone alter
> what you already like.
>
> Properly reshaping hammers to obtain a voicing change will not affect the
> action dynamics any significant degree.  However, it will affect how you
> perceive these dynamics to be due to the difference in the voicing change
> reshaping brings about.
>
> A little reshaping and voicing done by the right person can produce
> remarkable changes with hammers that still have some life in them.
>
> Keith McGavern
> Registered Piano Technician
> Oklahoma Chapter 731
> Piano Technicians Guild
> USA

--
Richard Brekne
RPT, N.P.T.F.
Bergen, Norway
mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no